Harry Potter and the Laws of Love
by Rico Perrien
Summary: This is a sequel to Pansy Invictus. Please read it first, to lay the groundwork. Harry finds that, under wizarding law, he has some unexpected obligations. Some unfair laws are challenged.
1. Inheritance

**Harry Potter and the Laws of Love**

**Rating**: M

**Summary:** This is a sequel to Pansy Invictus. Please read it first, to lay the groundwork. Harry finds that, under wizarding law, he has some unexpected obligations. Some unfair laws are challenged.

**Disclaimer:** I have not claim to characters or scenes from the Harry Potter series, which belongs to JK Rowling and associates. I get nothing from this except the enjoyment of imagining and writing the story. No money, damn it.

**Author's Notes:**

It has been said that only the middle class cares about middle class morality – the poor can't afford it, and the upper classes have always had their own rules. Learning to live by any new rules can be difficult, when you grew up living by other standards.

Viewpoints expressed by the characters are not necessarily those of the author. This is fiction, and I intend to explore conflicting points-of-view.

I have generally followed canon as background, but ignored a lot of the epilogue, notably about the next generation.

Footnote #1: Lyrics are from 'Feet fall on the Road' by Bruce Cockburn

**Inheritance**

After a very disturbing meeting with Pansy Parkinson, Harry sent a floo message to Hermione Granger, who was studying at the magical wing of the University of Edinburgh, reading a double major in chemistry (potions) and law. She was also volunteering part-time at a major Hospital there as she was thinking about being a healer, but looking at the legal or research aspects of the craft. Harry and Ron had discussed between themselves and decided that she was likely either going to become one of the 'Unspeakables' in the department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic, or a pathologist at St Mungo's, as pathology was a specialty where you had to know everything about everything, and they figured that that described 'their' Hermione to a 'T'.

Harry asked if she could look up some information on the laws of marriage and inheritance. After asking what specific areas he was interested in, she assured him that she had been looking some stuff up (telling him that it was purely out of academic interest, of course, which raised Harry's curiosity a bit), and it might be a week or two because of her workload, but she would get back to him.

Between his games and practice sessions with the Glasgow Tartans quidditch team, Harry had spent time travelling around checking out the properties that he had inherited from his parents, as well as from Sirius Black. His godfather had named him as his heir, and Harry found himself the sole heir of both the Ancient and Noble House of Potter and of Black. These inheritances made him wealthy beyond dreams of avarice, or as Ginny Weasley summed it up, 'richer than God', and he found himself the owner of properties around the world, as well as the Chief of a Highland Clan and Laird of a castle in the highlands of Scotland a little ways away from Hogwarts.

He also found that he was a part owner of several professional quidditch teams, including the Chudley Cannons, a fact he did not advertise so that when Ron was picked for the team, there was no hint of favouritism or influence. He did tell Ron of his interest as he did not want to lie to him or seem to be working behind his back, but swore that he had not exerted any influence, as he knew that Ron was capable of make the team on his own, and he also wanted his friend to know that he (Ron) had made it on his own merits. He pointed out that Ron had won the cup for Gryffindor while Harry was banned from the game, and so he saw absolutely no reason to interfere with the natural course of events.

As he wandered, Harry was looking to find a home. He had never really had one, staying at Hogwarts during the school year, and in Surrey with his relatives, or in Devon with the Weasley family during the summer. As the castle at Hogwarts had been the first place of residence where he felt any sort of welcome and comfort, he found himself fond of his highland castle, but found the Scottish winters rather too harsh.

He arranged to have the Potter Manor in Godric's Hollow (in Cornwall) rebuilt, repairing the damage done to it when his parents were murdered there in his infancy. Once the palatial manor house was restored, Harry moved in and decided that, for the moment at least, it would be his primary residence, as the southern English climate was far more gentle than in Scotland, due to the influence of the Gulf Stream bringing warmth from near the Caribbean.

Harry found that, as much as he loved travelling and seeing new things, having never had the opportunity when he was young, no place really felt like home to him. 'Home' was where the people he loved were. This feeling was becoming a problem as the people he loved were becoming spread out as they moved away from where they had grown up. Hermione was in Scotland, Ron had moved to Chudley after he was drafted as first reserve keeper for the Cannons, and Ginny had moved up to Holyhead on the Irish Sea when she was picked by the Harpies as their first string chaser and reserve seeker. Neville and Hannah were living north of London on the Longbottom estate, while George Weasley and his wife Angelina were running the store in Diagon Alley in London. Arthur and Molly Weasley still lived at the Burrow in Devon, and Bill and Fleur were still at Shell Cottage in Cornwall a short distance from Godric's Hollow.

All were connected to the floo network, so visiting was easy, but on a summer's evening sitting alone on the balcony of the third floor of Potter Manor watching the sun go down with a butterbeer in his hand, Harry couldn't help feeling a bit lonely. He and Ron and Hermione had been inseparable for most of their seven years at Hogwarts, and he and Hermione had even shared a platonic bed in the tent while they were on the run hunting for the Horcruxes. Being alone just felt wrong, but it also was relaxing as no one was bothering him or trying to kill him (as had been his life up to a few years ago).

Now, Harry had met with a woman whom he had thought of as an old enemy, and been informed that, under wizarding law, as the head and sole occupant of two Houses, he was not only expected but legally required to have two wives and a number of concubines. Harry thought to himself, "Wizarding society seems to think I am just a race horse. I did my service for them, running like hell and getting rid of Voldemort for them, and now they are going to put me out to stud. Why should I give a rat's ass what they want? I suppose I will have to have a Lady Potter and a Lady Black, but anything else, I do on my terms, not theirs! That's why we fought this damn war, to get rid of this pureblood crap."

Near the end of October, Hermione got back in touch with Harry and asked if they could meet the following week – she was working a weekend shift at the hospital but had some time either the Wednesday or Thursday afternoon and evening. She said she hadn't had Harry's cooking in some time, and would appreciated it if he would cook dinner for her. Harry agreed to a date, and then looked at his calendar. The agreed-upon date was Hallowe'en. Harry's heart fell as he thought "Oh crap. Nothing good has ever happened to me on Hallowe'en." Then he thought, "Hang on. That's the day when Hermione became my friend, admittedly after she was almost killed by the troll; maybe it's not so bad. However, other than that, Hallowe'ens have usually been a disaster."

The afternoon of Hallowe'en, Hermione floo'd down to the Manor. As this was the first time she had visited there, Harry showed her around the house. When they got to the swimming pool, Hermione smiled and asked "Can I go in for a dip? I haven't had a chance to swim since last summer with my parents." Harry said "Sure, shall I wait for you upstairs, or would you like some company? I guess it depends on whether you want to just splash around or really swim seriously." Hermione paused for a moment, and then said "If you don't mind, I'd like to swim hard for a bit, and then as you say, splash around a bit. I see you have a hot tub at the end of the pool. Say, meet me there in about a half hour?"

She then stopped and said "Slight problem. I didn't bring a bathing suit. I guess I can transfigure my undies into a serviceable bikini." Harry smirked "Or you could just swim in your skin. That's what I generally do." Hermione grimaced "But what about when you come in too?" Harry smiled with a wicked grin, "Well, you have a number of choices. One, I could come in nude too, so we are both wearing the same. You know, fair is fair, and we would be on equal terms." Hermione blushed as she considered this option. Harry continued, "Two, you could just wear your underthings as they are. Three, you could charm your undies into a fetching bikini, as you suggested. Or four, we could call Florie and have her make up a suit for you, by the time I would come in."

Hermione was shocked, "Harry, you have an elf here?" Harry grinned and said, "Come on Hermione, don't get your knickers (which I am dying to see as a bikini) in a twist. You know me. Yes, I have several elves here; it's a big house and estate. They are all paid as well as I can get them to agree to. They are the most cutthroat negotiators I have even dealt with, talking me down and down and down until I won't put up with it. Florie got me talked down to giving her a flower every week, a bowl of porridge on New Year's Day, and a piece of toast with cinnamon on it for Valentine's Day. I tried to pay her more, but she won't have it. She's Dobby's niece, by the way."

Hermione smiled and laughed "I think I need to get Florie to make me a swim suit. Anyone who can talk the great Harry Potter into such as sweet deal, I have to meet. I may even wear the suit when you join me." The last was said with an even more evil grin than Harry had earlier.

About a half hour later, Harry came into the swimming pool wearing red trucks. He was startled to see, laid out in a trail towards the pool, Hermione's skirt, then her blouse, then her half-slip, then her bra, then her silk knickers, then a one-piece bathing suit with a rustling bamboo pattern (like wizarding photographs, the bamboo moved as if there was a gentle breeze). Hermione was sitting in the hot tub, up to her neck in water, smiling wickedly at him. Harry came up to the side of the tub, and blushing all the way down his body (at least as far as Hermione could see) to the point where his trucks looked pale, said "Well, I did issue the challenge and fair is fair", as he reached for the top of his suit to push them down. Hermione smiled widely and said "Stop", as she stood up, showing that she was wearing a bikini with a pattern of tropical flowers. "Harry, you are just so easy to tease. I think we should keep our suits on, because we have some important things to talk about. I know boys tend to stop thinking when they are near a girl who has little or nothing on."

Harry raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Boys?" Hermione blushed, and said, "Okay, Ron. I mean, you've seen how he turns into a complete idiot around Fleur, and that's when she's wearing clothes!" Harry laughed at the implied situation, "Ron has seen Fleur without her clothes?" Hermione laughed as she hit him on the arm lightly "We went swimming last summer with her and Bill in the south of France. You know women there don't usually wear their bikini top. Anyway, when Fleur and I came out of the changing area, Ron's jaw dropped so far I thought it was going to bounce off the floor, and he blushed so hard that his skin was redder than his hair. Fleur put her top on, before the blood loss to his brain made him pass out." Hermione giggled lightly, and said "Mum told me years ago that boys have two heads, a big one on their shoulders, and the little one lower down, but they only have enough blood supply for one at a time." Harry smirked "Were you dressed in similar fashion?" Hermione smiled and with a bit of a twinkle in her eye, she said "It has happened."

Harry smiled and asked "So how are you two doing?" Hermione smiled contentedly and lowered her eyes slightly. "We're looking at rings, and we plan to announce our engagement this Sunday at lunch at the Burrow. You are coming, aren't you?" Harry replied that he had a standing invitation from Mrs Weasley to come to Sunday lunch with the rest of 'his family', and that he would most certainly be there.

Hermione's brow furrowed, and (as Harry and Ron had described it many times) she put on her 'serious' face. She said "I looked up the laws on inheritance and related matters, as we talked about after you met with Pansy. Wizarding laws are extremely patriarchal. They seem to all be concerned with maintaining and enhancing the pureblood male bloodline and their property, and they completely neglect the female line or almost any consideration of the muggleborn or half-bloods. You know, some cultures consider inheritance only from the female line, because you can always be sure about who the mother is but not the father. Anyway, it seems it's okay for a wizard to marry multiple witches, particularly if he is from one of the supposedly 'Noble' houses (or just filthy rich, so you're covered two ways), but a witch is not allowed to have two or more husbands."

Harry grinned at her, knowing that if anything annoyed Hermione, it was things being unfair. "So who were these two or more wizards you had been planning to marry?" Hermione blushed and looked shocked, and Harry continued "And you said I was easy to tease."

Hermione still looked shocked, but also rather hurt, and Harry realized that she had not been looking up these laws just out of academic interest, and he had a pretty good idea of who the 'extra mouth at the table' might be. Meanwhile, Hermione was watching Harry's realization of the implications and his shock, and thinking that there was no way she could deny his assumption without hurting his feelings, which she definitely did not want to do, mostly because he was right.

Harry's eyes softened, and he reached out to hold Hermione's hands. "Hermione, I am deeply touched and profoundly honoured that you would consider me as a potential husband, even if I would have to share you with another, and I was in second place. Thank you from the bottom of my heart." He looked deeply into her eyes as he said this, and although it was left unsaid she knew that, had things with Ron been different, she was at the top of his list.

Hermione shook her head to break the spell between them, and continued, "Getting back to the topic, I think you need to read the laws yourself. I have summarized the more salient points in my notes that I left upstairs in your den. Harry, I think I know that you don't feel that this is right, and that it is taking advantage of the women. However, there doesn't seem to be any way around it, within the wizarding law. If you don't follow through with it, the titles and the property are forfeited to the Ministry, and the next nearest relatives then inherit. If there are no relatives, and they can go back hundreds of years to find the connection, the Ministry keeps the money, and the 'House' ceases to exist. Essentially, if you don't go along with it, you lose all your inheritances."

Harry had considered just telling the Ministry and the Wizengamot to take a long walk off a short cliff, and chuck it all. They had been running his life for a long time, and doing him no favours, on top of lying about him and besmirching his character for a good many years. However, if he did that, he would be essentially spitting on the graves of Sirius and his parents. That, he could not do. He was trapped. It might be a pleasant trap, but Harry remembered a song he had heard that had the line "Though chains be of gold, they are chains all the same." (1)

"Cutting to the chase, basically, as the sole heir of two noble houses, you are not only expected but required by the laws to repopulate both houses. You are to be 'assisted' in this effort by one wife of each house, who will be the 'Lady' of that house, and as many concubines as you can manage or afford. If either marriage is childless, an heir can be chosen from the offspring of the other house, so that the property remains in the family. The heir is to be the senior male child unless the senior male child has been disinherited for whatever reason, or if there is no male child then the senior female child inherits – when she marries, all authority over the house then is vested in her husband, and she loses her rights, unless the marriage fails, in which case she gets half the property back as dower rights, but he gets to keep the titles. Like I said, unfair. "

"One rather unpleasant point of law comes into effect if you decide that you do not want two wives, and leave one house without a 'Lady', in the expectation of appointing one of the children as the heir of the other house. In that case, unless it can be shown to the Wizengamot that an honest effort was made to arrange for a marriage, but this failed because of factors such as the wizard being such a prune that no witch would have him, and there were no impoverished houses looking to sell their daughters for the political and financial alliance, the wizard shall be found to be failing his legal obligations to the wizarding society and the title and all the properties are to be passed to the nearest male relative of the line, thereby preserving the male bloodline's wealth and status."

Harry looked at her grimacing face and said "I know I am not going to like the answer, but who is the 'next in line', if I don't do this." Hermione looked unhappy, "I haven't been able to find the next Potter connection yet, but the nearest Black relative is Draco Malfoy, through his mother. The fact that he is a convicted criminal does not negate his rights of inheritance."

Harry smiled and said, "Well, if I have to get married to two or more witches, and have a happy life, just so Draco doesn't inherit, I could live with that." They both laughed.

Harry enquired, "How come we haven't heard about any of this, either at school or from the Weasleys?"

Hermione thought about it for a minute. "I think it's a matter of the wizarding society's class structure. I guess you could say that the Weasleys are middle class, like my parents, and this stuff seems to affect only the "Ancient and Noble Houses" like the Potters and the Blacks. You really didn't have much chance to talk to Sirius about it, and he would have probably thought it was all rubbish anyway. Voldemort seems to have wiped out most of the Potter line as well as your parents, so no information from that quarter either. A lot of the stuff they did or told us about at school seems to have been geared towards keeping the purebloods in charge, and unless the teachers were of the 'higher castes', they wouldn't have been up on this either."

Hermione continued, "There were a couple of really strange laws as well that I thought you might find interesting, while we are on the topic of inheritance and fertility."

"One I thought was interesting, because I have heard of similar laws in some muggle societies. If a pureblood wizard with a family dies, and he has an unmarried brother, the brother is to marry the widow and adopt the children, so that the bloodline continues. If there are married brothers, one of the brothers is to take the widow as a concubine, and adopt the children as his own. If the wizard who died was the heir to the title, then the eldest remaining brother is to marry the widow and the dead brother's children will be considered the heirs. If the dead husband was a younger brother, and so not the heir, then his children will follow the line of succession as through their father was still alive. This way, the children do not lose their succession rights. However, I have to say that, given a lot of historical examples, I would suspect their chances of surviving to adulthood would be slim if they had ambitious cousins."

"Another weird and rather old one which ties into something Pansy said, in that, if a wizard is sleeping around to the discredit of the dignity of his family name, he will become sterile. You mentioned that Pansy said there was a rumour that Lucius Malfoy was 'initiating' all the girls in the brothels he ran, and brought home a venereal disease which left him and/or Narcissa sterile, which is why Draco was an only child. You'll notice that a lot of the 'high caste' pureblood families (a lot of whom were recruited into the Death Eaters) seem to only have one child. The only purebloods with lots of children seem to be the lower caste ones like the Weasleys. This is the only law I have ever seen that seems to penalize the behaviour of purebloods, and I don't think most purebloods are aware of it. I really wonder what happened in the 1400's to have the Wizengamot of the time pass this one – most of the laws seem to reward the purebloods for bad behaviour.

Hermione concluded, "Harry, I think I'm going into Law as a profession."

Harry looked at his wrinkled fingers, and said, "Well, before you go into law, and we solve all the legal problems of the wizarding world, I suggest we get dressed and I cook you supper, if Florie will let me use the kitchen. She says it's her job, and given that I am paying her exorbitantly, she will do it. Alternately, we can turned the air temperature up to tropical, turn on the sunlamps, and sit down here getting a tan."

Harry then put on his 'serious' face. "Hermione", he asked, "could you set up a time when I can meet with your parents for a couple of hours?"

Hermione shrugged and said "Sure. Why? Just my parents, or do you want me there too?"

Harry blushed a little, and responded, "They are one of two couples that I know who have a successful marriage. The other is the Weasleys, and I am going to see if I can meet with them too, at a different time."

"Hermione, all my life, people have been telling or making me do things when I have absolutely no idea how to do them. According to what you and Pansy have said, I am going to be the husband to two or more witches, and I have no idea how to be a husband. It's not like they covered it in 'Defence Against the Dark Arts'! Although, the way Pansy came on to me, that may have been the appropriate class for it."

"I know that there is a lot of emphasis on sex, but that can't be all of it. In Charms and Transfigurations, they covered a bit of the anatomy of boys and girls, so I think I know a bit about the mechanics. I mean I know that Tab 'A' does fit into Slot 'B', but I have no idea why a woman would want me to do that. It sounds painful, if not entirely gross. I have some idea of the 'how', but absolutely nothing of the 'why'. As you so eloquently put it a while ago, boys tend to think with their 'little' head when it comes to sex. But how does it work for girls? I don't have a clue, and if I am going to make a go of it, I have to find out."

"Hermione, if I am going to be a success at this, and I owe it to my wife or wives to make it a success, I need to talk to some people who have made it a success, and get some guidance. Your Mum and Dad obviously have a very loving relationship, and they are not having sex every minute of the day (and yes, I remember that night I stayed at your place with all the nocturnal sound effects). Molly and Arthur obviously have a loving relationship, and by the number of red heads around the table at meals, I know they have had sex more than once. But that can't be all of it. Hermione, I need help, and I think I need it sooner than later. I mean, what if I am a total disaster in bed? Or out of bed? According to my understanding of the spells at a magical wedding, like we saw with Bill and Fleur, my wife _can't_ leave me or divorce me, even if I make a total mess of it. I don't want her to have her life ruined like that."

Hermione reached across the hot tub and kissed him. "Harry, I know you are worried that you won't make a successful husband. You have been successful at almost everything you have tried to do. With an attitude like that, even if you don't get it completely right as first, you and she will learn together, and with that attitude, you can't fail to succeed." She blushed slightly, and said "And believe me, your wives will certainly want you to insert Tab 'A' into Slot 'B'!"

Harry grinned, and said, "Thanks for the vote of confidence. The problem is, most of what I was successful at was killing people and monsters. I'm not sure that's the best preparation for a wedding."

Hermione responded, "Harry, if I wasn't almost engaged to Ron, I'd jump your bones right now and demand that you marry me! Anyway, let's get dressed and eat. All this talking has made me hungry."

Harry laughed "Yep, you and Ron are going to get along just fine, with such an appetite. Hermione, I love you and you're the best sister I never had. And if you want to sit in on the meeting with your parents, I don't mind. I should warn you that I am going to ask some questions where you might not want to hear the answers from your Mum and Dad."


	2. Learning to Be A Good Husband

**Learning to Be a Good Husband**

That Sunday, the extended Weasley family gathered at the Burrow for their weekly lunch and get together. Harry had arranged that he would talk to Molly and Arthur around 4 o'clock, after the rest of the family had gone home.

The lunch started off with the usual general milling around and saying hello. Then, Ron asked for everyone's attention, and Hermione quietly moved to stand beside him. She silently tapped her finger with her wand and the disillusion spell ended, showing her new engagement ring topped with a large diamond surrounded by small amethysts. There was congratulations all round, and Molly ran downstairs to retrieve the bottles of champagne which she had got long ago for just such an announcement (leaving a few, just in case Harry and Ginny had some news as well).

Harry had kept the news of his situation to himself, but of course, Hermione had talked to Ginny and Ron, and Ginny had talked to her parents. Molly had seen enough of her daughter's heartbreak when Harry, Hermione and Ron had gone hunting the Horcruxes, and so knew enough to keep quiet about her hopes for Ginny and Harry (just in case things hadn't been smoothed out between them). She knew there was nothing so damaging to a couple who were unsure of themselves as an incorrect announcement of impending nuptials that weren't going to happen.

Ginny had been watching Harry as Ron and Hermione made their announcement. She saw the pain in his eyes even while he was leading the cheers for them. She knew how much he loved Hermione, as she had been a constant companion during the hunt, and that regardless of how close the trio would remain, there was now a barrier between Harry and his closest friends. Ginny suspected that there was more to his pain than that as well, and that one door was closing on Harry's future, and one possible dream was over.

After lunch, Harry and Ginny went for a walk around the park on the Burrow, and into town. Harry was obviously a bit uncomfortable with the situation, as he and Ginny had never talked of marriage, and Harry was still not sure where they stood. And Ginny wasn't Hermione – Hermione, he could talk to about anything and everything, but he and Ginny had not got to that level of intimacy.

So Ginny did a lot of the talking. Sometimes she spoke, and sometimes they just walked along together. Harry found that he was comfortable with her saying things, and with her silence. She was not the constant motor-mouth that her brothers were, for which Harry was thankful.

Finally, they were wandering around the pond where they had spent time in summers swimming and relaxing. They joked a little about Harry's lack of skill swimming at first, as he had never swum when he was living with the Dursleys, while Ginny had been swimming since she could walk. They talked and laughed about the first time Harry saw Ginny in a bikini, when her top wouldn't stay in place as she did not yet have much to hold it in position. And they talked about Harry's circumstances.

Ginny appeared to know a good deal about the Ancient and Noble House traditions, and the multiple marriages and inheritance laws. She said "Harry, girls talk to each other about things that matter. Not just about fashion, or who they are wanting to ask them to go to Hogsmeade with them. Important stuff."

"Harry, when it really comes down to it, women's bodies are baby factories. Most of us girls are going to be mothers, and we look forward to it. From the time we're about twelve or thirteen, we can get pregnant. Our breasts are not just eye candy for the boys, and between our legs, we manufacture new people! These are fact, _critical_ facts, in every girl's life, so we talk about it. We talk about marriage, we talk about divorce, we talk about unwanted pregnancies, we talk about what names we are going to give our children. And we talk about boys, because the boys are going to become the men we marry and have children with."

"Harry, one of the primary things in a woman's life is to get the best possible father for her children. A lot of girls see this as the guy having enough money to support them and feed them for twenty years or so. With some arranged marriages, that is enough, and in some of the marriages which are essentially political alliances between the high and mighty houses, that's all there is. And for some this is enough. But if that's all there is, it can be a dismal life for both of the poor idiots who settled for it."

"And Harry, to be perfectly honest and frank, you're prime goods! Say the word, and there will be a line-up a hundred miles long."

"The Patil twins in your year were high-caste girls, and both had arranged marriages to go to, as soon as they graduated from Hogwarts. Ah, didn't know that, did you? Their family made the best arrangements and matches they could, as they had two beautiful intelligent and talented witches to offer as bargaining chips. In societies where arranged marriages are common, it is the families duty to make the best match possible, and good fathers take the future happiness of their daughters very seriously."

"Harry, you and Hermione and me, we grew up in what you might call middle class families. Sure, your's stunk like a week old fish, but the arrangements were similar. One mum, one dad, and no thought about any other arrangement. In fact, anything different was considered aberrant and perverted. But that's not going to work for you, it can't. I know it, Hermione knows it (she resents it, and thinks it's wrong, but she know it), and you know it. That's the way the world works in the upper classes. Take a look at the goings-on in the muggle royal family, for Merlin's sake! Whoever marries you has to be prepared to share."

"Pansy was right. You need people around you who know how these things work, and how the real world operates. I am a smart girl from a relatively poor family, which means I have always needed to know what was real and what was illusion. For you, the single wife in a little cottage with a white picket fence around it is an illusion. The witch who marries you has to clearly know that she is going to have to share you; anything else is an illusion. Actually, any witch who thinks her husband will love no other woman is going to have some real trouble with her mother-in-law."

"You are wealthy and powerful. You are the man who killed old Lord Moldy Shorts, with help of course, but you were the one who did him in. You have the capacity and the opportunity to do amazing things, with the right people at your side."

"And Harry, as you are standing there blushing at me being very forward, and not getting around to it, I would be pleased to accept your offer of marriage!"

Harry sputtered and coughed. Ginny started giggling and then laughing heartily. "Oh Harry, you look like a deer caught in a beam of wand-light."

"Harry, I am not saying things will be perfect between us. I can be selfish, and I can be a right bitch a few days each month, and my brothers taught me to be a prankster and that sometimes hurts people's feelings. I am saying that I probably understand you better than perhaps anyone besides Hermione. I know that I may not be your first choice. But I also know I will be good for you, and that I will try my very best to make you happy with your choice."

Harry sputtered "My 'Choice'?"

Ginny stood up straight, and put her hands on her hips, and looking like she was in a right huff, said "Mr. Potter! You mean you've been walking me all over town on a cold November day and you had dishonourable intentions? What kind of a girl do you think I am?"

Harry stuttered, and babbled "You, walk, me, us, town, us..." as Ginny broke down laughing. She said, "You'd better kiss me before you pass out." And she reached up to pull his head down towards her, and kissed him as she had only done once before, on his seventeenth birthday.

Harry reached around her back and pulled her into a tight embrace. He said, "Thank you for saying what I haven't been able to find the words to say." He dropped to one knee, and said "Ginevra Weasley, will you marry me?" Ginny frowned at him and mockingly said in a disgusted tone of voice "I thought we had already settled that!" Harry said "You said that you 'would be happy to accept my offer', not that you 'were happy to accept'. So now I am offering." Ginny looked at him and said "You have been hanging around with Hermione too much, to get that pedantic." Then laughing her bright cheery way, she said quietly "Okay, Harry. Yes. Oh yes!"

Then with a twinkle in her eye, she asked "So, which one do you want me to be? Lady Black, Lady Potter, or just one of your harem of thousands? I know there are a lot of girls at Hogwarts who are dying to be asked to join up."

Harry smiled into Ginny's face. "I think Lady Potter. After all, Potters have always been Gryffindors, so maybe any Gryffs should be Potters. No?"

Ginny looked at him in horror. "The Blacks have always been Slytherins, except for your godfather. Does that mean you have a Snake lined up for Lady Black? Ron will kill you, and I'm way too young to be a widow." She paused. "Are you thinking of Pansy as a possibility?"

Harry looked stunned at her rapid and calculating analysis of the situation. "I'm not sure. It would have its advantages. As she said, 'Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer' and the spells around a marriage would prevent any disloyalty. Of course you are right, Ron will kill me, and I'm too young to be dead. Tried it once, didn't care for it. But you don't seem to mind the idea as much. How is that?"

Ginny looked at him and said "Well, for one, I'm not my brother, and Harry Potter get that smile off your face - you're not drafting Ron as one of your wives, regardless of how close you are. Somehow, from watching you closely for the last few years, I'm pretty sure you don't swing that way. Anyway, you have to remember that your year seemed to have most of the Death Dummy-suckers in it, while I had some good friends in Slytherin. Astoria Greengrass was nice, and her family was very carefully keeping their heads down so they didn't get dragged into the whole pureblood crap. Her sister Daphne was in your year, and she's pretty nice too, and she is one knock-out babe! Maybe one more candidate?"

Harry laughed "Now that you've started, I can see the house filling up fast. But seriously, Ginny, I still don't know how this all works. I'm supposed to go talk with your parents about things. Maybe you should be there with me." He then told her his plans for the education that they don't teach in school. She thought this was a very good approach to a very difficult subject.

Harry suggested that they not announce their engagement until the next Sunday's family lunch, both to give him time to get a suitable engagement ring for her, and to not steal Ron and Hermione's 'thunder'. He said "This is their day, and I would never want to take that away from them. I don't want to take anything away from them. They deserve their happiness." Ginny agreed to this plan.

Harry wondered aloud "Does this mean that you get veto power over my other wives now?" Ginny smiled and said "Damn straight, Potter, you'd better believe it. Anyway, we should go in and tell Mum and Dad, and then have your talk. But first, please look over toward the house for a moment."

Harry heard some rustling behind him, and sensed a warming charm being cast. Ginny spoke quietly, "Okay, Harry, you can turn around."

Harry turned and saw Ginny standing nude, with her clothing piled beside her on the ground. Her bare breasts seemed to play hide-and-seek through her long red hair. Ginny said, "I think it is important that my husband gets to know my body, and hopefully, he will find it attractive." Harry gathered the naked witch into his arms, and kissed her fervently, saying "I find your body very attractive, and I do like looking at it, I like it a lot. Now you better get dressed before we see your parents," and with a smirk continued, "unless you feel that they would be more comfortable with you dressed like that."

Harry and Ginny walked into the living room at the Burrow, hand-in-hand. Molly Weasley looked at the smile on her daughter's face, looked at Harry and asked "Yes?" He nodded happliy, but said "We don't want to steal Ron and Hermione's day, so we're going to hold off making an announcement until next week. That also gives me a chance to get a proper ring for Ginny. I hope that's okay with you."

Harry was immediately smothered in a massive hug from Molly, while Arthur seemed keen to rip his hand off shaking it, as he said "Welcome to the family, and not just because we have thought of you as our son already."

Molly said "I see she used the old quidditch strategy." At Harry's puzzled look, Molly said "You have to remember, I was a Chaser too when I was at Hogwarts. The chaser strategy was a way to distract the other team. It's based on the technique most girls use – you chase the boy until he catches you."

Arthur started, "First off, Harry, I have a severe conflict of interest here. I think you should know that the scuttlebutt at the Ministry is that some of the old Malfoy hangers-on seem to be behind the way they are trying to enforce the laws - Marcus Foofaller seems to be the ring-leader of them. They seem to think, quite rightly in my opinion, that you are just as likely to tell them to shove their laws and run off out of their jurisdiction. Essentially, this would cause all of the Black properties to be given to Draco Malfoy, thereby restoring his family's power, and the value of the connections of all the family leeches. As much as I love my daughter and want her to be your only wife, for the health of our nation and the wizarding world I have to ask you to take on this 'burden', and prevent that from happening." Ginny immediately objected to being called a burden.

"I think that, as Lord Potter and Lord Black, you can do a lot to heal the wounds our society has suffered under Voldemort and his minions. I know our family has been so-called pure-blood on both sides for a long, long time, but this pure-blood supremacy nonsense must be stopped. And you, my new son, are the one who can do it, with your wives by your side."

Harry thanked them for their confidence and warmth, and asked his questions.

Arthur and Molly both thought about it for a bit.

Arthur spoke first "I think that the primary way to be a good husband, or a good wife for that matter, is to respect your partner. If you cannot respect them, you really should not have married them in the first place. Listen to her. You need to hear her ideas, and her wants and needs. You need to hear her advice. You don't have to take it, but you have to listen to it."

Molly said thoughtfully "Even when you listen to your partner, you have to stand up for yourself as well. If all you do is what the other tells you to do, very soon she will lose her respect for you, because she can walk all over you. That being said, sometimes you need to let her have her way, if it is important enough to her, and even if you disagree – but only on the small things. If it's important to her, but not to you, give in, but if it is important to you, stand firm, at least until you have talked it out.

Arthur took his turn "Fight fair. You may not think it will happen, but you _will_ fight. Do it fairly, and with respect. An unfair fight can destroy everything you have. Don't say things that will cause irreparable hurts. The fact that you are committed to fighting fair says 'I love you'."

"This one is important, because your situation requires that you have lots of children, either for just the two of you, or Harry with his other wives (and Ginny love, I know that is going to be hard on you). Love them, but stand up to them. Children are the most devious creatures you will ever encounter, and take it from a man with seven kids (including the beautiful witch sitting by your side – she was a right little hellion)! They will try to play divide-and-conquer, over and over and over. If they find a point where you disagree, they will exploit it to get their way. You have to talk between yourselves, and then present a united front, otherwise, they are in charge. Your job as a husband and father is to raise the children to be good people, not just someone who has everything they want."

"Harry, you are wealthy, and I have seen wealth become a trap. Some men find it easier to give the kids things, than to take time to interact with them and bring them up right. As a father, your time is your most precious commodity. Use it well."

Molly now spoke, "One other critical thing. Be fair. If you are wrong, admit it," and smiling she added "and the husband is always wrong!" She and Arthur chuckled at this shared joke, while Harry looked like he was sinking rapidly into a deep morass.

Molly smiled at him and giggled "Don't worry, Harry, you will be right once in a while too, although Ginny would be a fool to admit it. But more seriously, be fair with your time and your love. It will be difficult, but love your wives equally (Sorry about that, Ginny, but it's the truth). Love your children equally. Not necessarily the same, because every person is different and needs different things and different love. Equally! Otherwise, someone is getting cheated, and you will suffer the fallout because of it."

"And Harry, this is very, very difficult to do, to be fair to your children and your spouse or spouses. There will be times when one of your wives, or one of your children, will need all your attention, when they are sick, when they are in trouble, or whatever. That's when you have to make an extra effort to care for the rest of them too."

Harry asked, "But what about making love?"

Arthur looked at his wife fondly and quietly asked "What do you think we have been talking about? Making love isn't just the sex. Making love is looking after your partner's needs and wants, letting them know that they are special to you. Even when you fight, if you fight fair and with loving consideration of the other, you are making love."

Molly said "Harry, Ginny, when you are 'making love', that is having sex, the most important thing is to listen to your partner. Find out what they like you to do to them, and tell them what you like them to do to you. Unless you can read minds (and I know you have been working on that), you can't know what makes the other person tingle with excitement, and what hurts them."

Arthur came in again "One of the most important aspects of the physical acts of love is to enjoy it. Men focus on only one part of their bodies (and you know which part), but women love with their entire bodies. Our bodies are made to enjoy the act of loving. Don't take yourself, or it, too seriously. Have fun. It's supposed to be fun. Be silly, do something outrageous, laugh. If you fall off the bed, laugh at yourself."

Harry smiled and said, "Okay, _that's_ a challenge. Mr Weasley, what little thing does Mrs Weasley like you to do to her, and Mrs Weasley, what does Mr Weasley like?"

Arthur looked at Harry sternly, and said "If you're going to marry my one and only daughter, I am either Arthur or Dad. Got it?," and indicating his wife "and she is either Molly or Mum." He added with a little smirk "and calling her 'Mollywobbles' is my privilege, and mine alone." Molly blushed pink.

"Getting back to your impertinent question, she likes it when I nibble her neck when I come up behind her in the kitchen."

Molly blushed at this "Yeah, that's rather pleasant. There have been times, when he did that and I turned around and ravaged him right there in the kitchen! And he likes it when I touch his back very, very lightly, as if with a feather – I think he was a cat in a former life." She reached over and squeezed Arthur's hand.

Harry and Ginny both smiled at this exchange. Then Harry asked "Okay, how about romantic? What or where was the most romantic place you have made love?"

Molly looked a bit stunned as she thought about this, "Gosh, after seven kids, and having to sneak around so that they don't burst through the bedroom door at the wrong time. We never tried to hide it from the kids, but it was private time. Our time together is what made it a family for them to be part of."

Arthur commented, "We can't really say that the loo on the Hogwarts Express was outrageous – all the seventh years did it there. Broomclosets, same thing." He laughed, ""Molly, you remember that closet on the fourth floor hall?" She laughed, and looking at Harry and Ginny's puzzled faces, continued "you will remember that the fourth floor hall in the west wing of the castle was pretty well deserted most of the time, so an awful lot of the students used the closets up there for their trysts. It was the custom that the couple cut a notch in the handle of one of the brooms 'afterwards'. The caretaker had to keep replacing the broom handles every month or so 'cause they kept breaking off from all the cuts in the wood."

Molly then smiled, reminiscing, and said "You know we eloped just out of school – the war with Voldemort was starting and so we figured, why wait. I think the most romantic was the day Artie came home from work, and I had just found out from the Healer that our Bill was on the way. Arthur had just turned 20. I was pregnant for the first time, knowing that all the years of cramps and monthly bleeding was preparing me for this, and I was feeling very 'womanly'. I had put on a pretty dress and my favourite undies. I had just set out a nice supper to celebrate, roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, and mashed potatoes. I was really excited, and horny as hell, and when Artie came through the door, I pounced on him, kissing him thoroughly. He took me right there on the kitchen table. I remember looking sideways at the dish of Yorkshire puddings, and my hair was wet with gravy and burning with the horseradish sauce. And I had this load of warm mashed potatoes up my bum!" Arthur laughed "I clearly remember licking the gravy off your breasts, and then we had a shower together, and made love again in the shower, and having to hang on to the curtain rod for balance."

Molly smiled and said "Ruined my favourite pink silk knickers, too." As Arthur looked at her with a question on his face, she continued "When you lifted me up and set me on the table, you put me down right on top of the mustard – I never could get those stains out of the silk. I did keep them as a souvenir of that lovely day."

Ginny asked "Were those the stained silk pants you keep in your memoir drawer? You always told me that someday, when I was older, you would tell me the story about why you kept pink panties with bright yellow stains on them." Molly smiled, and reached over to hold Ginny's hand. "Today's the day, my girl", and smiled at her husband.

Molly smiled at her daughter, who was looking rather shocked. She had never thought of her parents as passionate lovers. Molly winked and asked "Romantic enough for you?"

Harry smirked and said "Thank you. Okay, how about the most outrageous?"

Molly looked at Arthur and laughed. Arthur blushed brightly. Molly said, "In seventh year, it was a warm evening at the start of June. There was a bright full moon, and we snuck out to the quidditch pitch with my broom. Arthur sat on the broom, I slipped off my knickers and climbed onto his lap, plugging him in, you might say. We took off, and I accelerated and decelerated to assist in our movements. Didn't work out so well."

Ginny asked why didn't it work, it sounds like it could be fun for a couple of good quidditch players (and it was obvious to Harry that she was thinking in the back of her mind 'like Harry and me').

Arthur was blushing and laughing, shaking his head at the memory. Molly said "Ginny, you know your Dad didn't play quidditch. He gets airsick." Ginny said "Oh." Then she thought about the implications and started to giggle "Oh!"

Molly winked at Harry and asked "Outrageous enough for you?" Harry nodded as he joined in the laughter.

The next Sunday, as the Weasleys all gathered around the lunch table, Harry and Ginny entered the room together, and Ginny extended her left hand showing the platinum ring, holding the flawless emerald surrounded by a spray of forest-green tourmalines. Molly opened the icebox, and pulled out the champagne which she had been chilling. Hermione rushed over and kissed Harry (and whispered "Hello, my brother-in-law and brother"), while Ron kissed Ginny, and then George kissed Harry, setting off gales of laughter.

Ron looked at Harry, and announced "Mate, now you're officially my brother, on top of the family having adopted you years ago." George piped in "If he's already our brother, isn't this rather incestuous?" at which point his mother hit him and told him to shut up. The room was filled with joyful laughter.

Later that afternoon, Ginny and Harry apparated over to the Granger's house. Ron and Hermione were already there, having drinks with Hermione's parents, Gil and Elly. They congratulated Harry and Ginny on their engagement, and then they got down to the interrogation.

Gil Granger was much taller than his wife, being over six feet tall with a husky build, where Elly was only about five feet tall, and 'petite'. Elly wore her hair long and straight, while it was apparent that Hermione had inherited her bushy hair from her dad.

Gil started off, by saying "Well, Harry, HermiJean here has told us a bit about your situation. First, because of some weird wizardy laws, you are going to have to live out what a lot of men would consider a dream, but in reality could turn out to be a nightmare, if you don't do it right. That is your fear, isn't it?" Harry nodded, with a terrified look on his face.

"Right. Your second query is, 'how do I be a good husband, even to one wife?', correct?" Harry nodded again.

Elly began, "Hermione says you have already talked with Molly and Arthur Weasley about this. Do you just want a second viewpoint, or is it more that we might have a more, shall I say, medically technical understanding?" Harry said, "I hadn't thought of it in that way, but that would be good. Yes. Both, please."

"I asked you for this advice, because you and the Weasleys seem to me to have wonderful relationships, and I would very much like any pointers you can give me. You know a bit about my upbringing, and have heard about some to the problems I have had almost losing all of my closest friends over the last few years. I have to say that I have very little idea about how to get along with people. I would appreciate any help you can give me."

Elly smiled with a wicked gleam in her eye. "Okay, how about we cover the physiology first. We are going to be completely frank and honest. We don't think you should be embarrassed at anything we discuss, because these are simply facts that you will run into in your married life. Now, do you want the book version or the lab version?" Harry blinked and answered "What?"

Elly grinned at her husband, and said "Okay, the lab version. Undress please, all of you," as she reached for the buttons on her blouse.

Harry responded "What?" and blushed bright red.

Elly looked at your daughter and laughingly said, "You're right, he does blush spectacularly. Okay, don't undress. As they say in textbooks, we will leave the lab work as an exercise for the students."

Gil said "This may get a bit technical, and we don't want you to get embarrassed by what are just facts. There are many just plain facts of living together that you will have to deal with, not just sexual things, but when one of you gets sick and the other has to clean up after a particularly nasty round of vomiting or diarrhoea, or just needing a backrub when she's having monthly cramps. I gather that your classes did cover some basic anatomy, so you have some idea of how men and women are built differently, but you haven't really covered how things really work. So the first question to answer is this. Do you masturbate?"

To Harry and Ron's surprise, both girls immediately answered yes. Ron nodded, as did Harry, who said "When I was living at the Dursleys'place, Uncle Vernon kept telling me it was a bad thing to do, so of course I had to try it out. In the dorm at Hogwarts, all the guys did it occasionally (which for Seamus, 'occasionally' was a couple of times a night)." Hermione shook her head saying "Way too much information!"

Harry continued "How do girls do it? They don't have a willy to rub."

Elly spoke "Girls have a little bump near the front of their vulvas, those folds between our legs; it's called the clitoris. It works kind of like a boy's penis, because it has a whole lot of nerve endings in it. My mother called it 'a girl's best friend', because at that time, they didn't tell boys about what makes girls feel good, and good girls weren't supposed to know anything about sex, much less enjoy it – they used to say to girls before their wedding 'Lie back, close your eyes and think of England'. The idea that women could enjoy sex was horrifying to them, so girls had to, shall I say, 'take their problems and frustrations into their own hands'."

Gil continued "There are a lot of people who still feel that young people should learn nothing about sex or their bodies, and honestly believe that youngsters won't think about sex if they are not told about it. Idiots! They expect two virgins to get into the marriage bed completely uneducated, and somehow have a wonderful time first time out. Harry, you don't know how to drive a car do you?" Harry shook his head. Gil continued "Okay, now I'm going to put you in a very powerful race car and send you into a Grande Prix race. You'd be killed, right? I have seen people I care for go into marriage completely unprepared, and they make a bloody mess of it. That's why Elly made sure that our Hermione knew about her own body." He snickered and added, "A woman can be a lot like a high-powered race car sometimes, too." Elly blushed, but with a lusty smile on her face.

Ginny said "My Mum said essentially the same thing. She taught me too." Ron said "Dad told me how, too. Of course, that was about two years after George and Fred told me about it, and made it seem like parts of my body would fall off if I did it, or if I didn't do it, I can't remember which. I think they kept changing their story, just to keep me confused."

Gil nodded and continued. "The reason that I asked that question is simple. We have established that you all know what an orgasm feels like."

Ron asked "A what?"

Gil said, "Medically it's called an orgasm. Some people call it 'coming', or 'climaxing'. It's that wonderful tension-and-release muscular spasm when your body hits the peak. For men, that's when you ejaculate, or unload your sperm."

Elly spoke up "Boys tend to orgasm just once, and then need to relax for a bit. Women can have multiple orgasms in a row. However, boys excite quickly, and are ready for action almost immediately, while girls take a while to get ready, but then can go on and on and on. Men seem to need their orgasm to enjoy sex. Women don't, but it's very nice when it happens. You need to be aware of your partner's level of excitement, and you will want to help them feel good."

"Now, Harry and Ron, if you come home, and your wife is wearing a sexy outfit, or nothing, she has already been getting herself ready, even if she has just been thinking about it all day, and she may just have her wonderful wicked way with you right then and there on the floor. So if you're going to bring friends over after work, be sure to call ahead first. Other time, it takes a little bit of time for her to get up to speed, and that's when you do what's called 'foreplay', hugging and kissing and fondling. Sometimes you can have a completely satisfying time, without 'penetration', just by mutual masturbation. You don't have to do the horizontal hula every time."

By this point, the two young couples were blushing furiously. Gill and Elly nodded to each other and Gil remarked "I think our work here is almost done, my love."

Elly pulled out a couple of books, and handed one to each couple. She said "This is a book that came out years ago, in the early seventies. It gives a lot of ideas on different things you can to with each other to make your marriage bed your playground, and help you be happy with each other. Some stuff you will like, and some you won't, and what one couple likes, the other may not. It's up to you to find out what you enjoy, together. It has helped us have a lot of fun together."

"Sex is supposed to feel good. That's what keeps our species in existence, indeed all life that uses sex for procreation. If it hurts, that's nature's way of telling you to stop because you are doing damage. Some people enjoy hurting or being hurt; I do hope that's not any of you. I don't think that makes for an enjoyable life, and it certainly doesn't make for a strong family, which at the end of the day is what you want to achieve. At least, I certainly hope that's what you want. And Ron, if you hurt my baby girl, I _will_ kill you."

Gil spoke up "And please remember, your most important sexual organ is the one between your ears, not the one between your legs. Your brain! In my work as a dental surgeon, I have known people who were injured horribly in accidents, and they were able to have satisfying sex lives, in spite of 'not being able to perform'. Think, listen, talk about your needs and wants. Care about each other, and you can't go wrong. Now, enough technical stuff."

Gil smiled and said, "And boys, I will tell you the most critical sexual practice there is. The most important thing a husband can know." He looked expectantly as Harry and Ron leaned forward, not wanting to miss a word. "Shave before going to bed! There's nothing that kills the mood like whisker-burn!" Laughter filled the room.

Elly added "Ron, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione. One thing you have to remember. We are people. We are not perfect. We do and will make mistakes that hurt each other, sometimes very badly. Remember that your partner has pledged their life to you – they have pledged their lives and their entire genetic heritage to you, both what came before, and the children that will come after. This deserves your utmost respect. You need to remember to forgive each other. Some things are unforgivable, and will end your marriage, as they should. But I have seen people give up on their marriages for petty reasons. Please don't give up on each other. Remember to forgive."

"Now, anything else you would like to ask about?"

Harry asked Gil, "Is there anything specific that you like Elly to do to you?" Turning to Elly, he said, "And anything specific you like Gil to do?"

Gil looked at Elly, as she looked at him. She hesitated, and then said, "Well, we did agree to this meeting. Okay, me first. I really like it when we undress each other standing up and kissing. Gil undresses me slowly, kissing my body as he does. He slips his hands into the back of my pants, cupping my bum, and then pushing them down from inside, very slowly, sometimes stopping with them only partway down my legs. The anticipation and the just plain naughtiness is very stimulating. As he is lowering my knickers down, he kisses my neck and shoulders and breasts and belly. Once they are all the way down and off, he holds my waist and lifts me up in the air, sliding me down his body as he continues kissing mine. He enters me as I come down, sort of impaling me. The slow anticipation is fantastic, and I have 'come' even as I was just sliding down onto him." The younger couples were all breathing hard at the description, and Elly herself was looking rather flushed. It looked like she was going to drag Gil out of the room and have him right then.

Gil looked at his wife, and was obviously having similar thoughts. He said, "Please excuse us", as he took Elly's hand and led her from the room. About half an hour later, they returned, with Elly tucking her blouse back into her skirt.

Gil said in a voice that was still a bit shakey, "Okay, my turn. I'm a bit ticklish along the bottom of my ribs. Sometimes, Elly will nibble on the tickle spots while she tickles my crotch with her fingers."

Harry decided he had better stick to his script. "Could you describe the most romantic place you have made love?"

Gil looked at his wife "The beach off Papa'ete?" Elly nodded. Gil looked at his daughter and her fiancé. "You remember when you and Harry were bringing us back to England from Australia a couple years ago. When we stopped in Tahiti for a couple days, you had us staying in that lovely hotel on the north shore, with the big garden in the middle of the property. There was that black volcanic sand beach where we went swimming. Well, one night, after we had parted company, Elly and I went done to the beach for a midnight, moonlight swim. You remember that the water was so clear, that we could see our feet, even in the moonlight. We got into the water up to around our waists when the urge to merge came over us. We slipped off our suits and made love standing in the warm water. Then we went over and lay down on the beach making love again. I think that was the most romantic."

Elly giggled, "Afterwards, we couldn't find our bathing suits, which we had just left floating in the water. We had to go out the next morning around dawn to look for them. We finally found them about half a kilometre down the beach where the current had taken them. Also, it took about four days before I got all the black sand out of my hair." Gil laughed and added "and other places."

Harry asked. "Okay, where was the most outrageous or bizarre place?"

Elly immediately started to laugh. "The Lab." Gil nodded. Elly said, "We got married while we were in dental school. As part of our coursework, we took some serious anatomy courses. We did dissection of corpses in the anatomy lab, which was deserted a lot of the time. One night, about two months after we got married and after we had gone swimming, we were feeling really amorous and impatient, and didn't feel like going all the way home as it was a kilometre from the college buildings. We knew no-one would be in the lab, and there were these nice large tables there. We snuck in, and gathered up to big sheets for padding, peeled off our clothes and lay down to get it on. The only light was from the fire-exit sign, so the room was filled with dim red light. After a few minutes, I happened to look over to the side, and saw this jar on the side table, holding a pickled penis in it, glowing red. I completely froze up." Gil continued the story, "I didn't know what happened until later, but I could feel Elly seize up, and thought 'Oh my god, she's epileptic and she never told me.' Her lower muscles locked up totally and trapped me inside her. At first it felt great, and then I started to worry about what had happened to her. Eventually, she relaxed and told me what had happened. We laughed for days, and for years when one of us was feeling a bit randy, we would look at the other with bedroom eyes and say 'Want to check out the lab?'"

Ginny grimaced and said "Now there's an image I want out of my head."

Harry thanked them for the information, and was about to wish them good night, and apparate back to the Manor.

The faces of both young couples were looking quite flushed. Elly said, "You know, now that you're officially engaged..." Gil added "Hermione, your bedroom is still made up, and Harry and Ginny, the guest room is prepared, if you want it."


	3. The Courtship ? of Pansy Parkinson

**The Courtship (?) of Pansy Parkinson**

It was cold sitting by the window of the Parkinson house, with the winter wind blowing hard against the house. The family had been forced to move to a smaller abode when most of their fortune and property, that could be traced back to the Dark Lord's followers, was confiscated after the war as reparations for their allegiance to several of the Death Eater families. The patronage money from the high-born families had dried up, and her father had not saved much, trying to live up to the life-style of his patrons. The fact that Clifford Parkinson had not taken the dark mark, and that their allegiances were from long-term family alliances, rather than from active support of the Dark Lord and his agenda, had probably saved them from total destitution. Due to the tight finances, the house was kept colder that she would like, and so Pansy was wrapped in a heavy blanket as she surveyed the sky.

Pansy had sat on the bench in the bay window every morning for the last couple of months, always expecting an owl from Harry Potter, and so far, being disappointed. She had laid out a fairly concise plan pointing out how it would be to his benefit to form an alliance with her, either in a business sense or perhaps even a connubial one. He had seemed impressed with her logic, but she had heard nothing from him. It had been three months, and the only news she had received was a notice in the Daily Prophet that the 'Man-Who-Conquered' had become engaged to Ginevra Weasley, who was to become Lady Potter. There had been a note in the tabloid rag, The Quibbler, announcing the betrothal as well, with the reporter (Luna Lovegood, herself) mentioning the hope that Ginny would not be so selfish as not to share Harry with certain deserving witches. There was a rumour that Luna had shared Harry's bed a few times since she graduated from Hogwarts (Harry having never returned to school after the Battle), but there was nothing in general knowledge indicating anything permanent on that front.

Pansy knew that, due to a bizarre accident of fate, Ginny could not refuse to share Harry, as he was required by the Law of Marriage to have two 'official' wives, and a number of concubines. At their meeting in the fall, Pansy had essentially propositioned Harry, offering herself as a candidate for a business position, as a concubine, or as an official wife. She had pointed out that with the ancient and Noble Houses, the official wife was seldom a party to a love-match, but was generally part of a political or financial alliance between the families. The concubines were typically where the love was to be found.

As the daughter of an Ancient House (although not as noble as some claimed to be), Pansy had always known that her body was an instrument of family alliances and policies, and the use of it (political or otherwise) was not really hers to decide. If the family decided that she would be party to a loveless marriage, that was the way the world worked in her branch of society. She hoped for something better, but knew that 'better' was not always how the world worked. Lately, 'better' was a fleeting fantasy.

As an official wife, Pansy would be expected to produce heirs to the family, while as a concubine, her children would be of a second level in the rights of succession but the position would allow her more freedom of action. In either role, she would be expected to produce numerous offspring, as the law affecting Harry was intended to restock the wizarding population depleted in the wars with Lord Voldemort (seemingly all on his own, as the Wizengamot did not seem to be applying it to any other wizard). There was some evidence that certain pure-blood families, who had profited from the late and unlamented Lord Voldemort's reign of terror, were pushing measures through the Wizengamot to, as much as any other effect, make Harry Potter's life a dirty joke to the rest of society.

The young witch was quite sure that she knew how to find out who was behind these moves, and how to counteract them. However, by herself, she had neither the resources nor the need to pursue these matters. If the alliance with Harry took place, one way or another, she would have both. She was also sure that Harry Potter would not tolerate such treatment for long, and so she continued to hope.

Hope was something that had been a rare commodity since the fall of the Dark Lord and the disgrace of so many of the families with whom she was on familiar terms. Most had been Slytherin classmates or dorm-mates, and many of them were from families of Death Eaters. Her family's original plan was for her to become the next Lady Malfoy, but the conviction of her classmate and lover Draco, the permanent imprisonment of his father, and the collapse into madness of his mother, put a definite end to that future. Because of her closeness to the Malfoys and other Death Eater children (Death Nibblers, or Death Dummy-suckers, as the bad jokes now called them), few people would have anything to do with her. Her current prospects were grim, unless Harry Potter came through with at least something.

Pansy thought her eyes must be getting tired, or there was just something blowing in the cold wind besides snow, as there seemed to be a dark spot visible against the grey clouds. The spot rapidly got larger, and Pansy soon realized that it was an owl approaching. It had been so long since she had received a message from anyone, and she seldom watch owls arrive – at Hogwarts, the owls appeared in the great hall during breakfast, and were just right there, and not growing from a distance spot to a large brown bird that she saw swooping up to her window. She cast a brief warming spell so that she could open the bay window without losing all the heat from the room, and let the owl in. She took the small scroll of parchment from the pouch on its leg.

She had a small bit of her breakfast egg left on her plate, which she offered to the owl, having no meat immediately available to repay the creature. The owl accepted this, although it appeared rather disgruntled by the meagre tidbit. Contrary to Pansy's expectations, the bird remained at the window, indicating that a reply was expected, and soon.

The young woman opened the scroll, and read:

_To: Ms Pansy Parkinson_

_Pursuant to our meeting of September, last, I am interested in pursuing further discussions with yourself and my advisors. If these discussions are successful, I would be prepared to offer you a position on my staff as 'Confidential Advisor on Societal Affairs'. If you are interested in such a future relationship, please reply at your earliest convenience. The owl bearing this message will wait for your response. _

_If it is convenient to your schedule, I suggest the meeting be held Saturday next at 2 PM, in the private meeting room above the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. I have reserved the room in hope of your acceptance of this invitation._

_If you wish to take more than a day to reply, please let the owl out daily to hunt. I do not expect you to provide the bird with sustenance._

_Harry J Potter_

_Lord Potter and Lord Black_

Pansy laughed bitterly at this message. Either Harry was maturing and developing a wicked sense of humour, or else he missed the implications of the old line of offering a 'position on his staff'. She wondered what kind of 'affairs' he had in mind. She also wondered how many sets of eyes had reviewed this letter before it was sent, and who the other advisors would be. Most of Harry's circle of friends and confidants had absolutely no reason to trust her, and several probably hated her guts, if they were even that discriminating as to what parts of her body they hated.

Given her presentation of her underwear to Harry at their previous meeting, she suspected that he was well aware of the double entendre. If so, this indicated that he was willing to show his sense of humour to her. This was another promising sign (as was their original meeting) that there was a possible human connection, and not just a relationship defined by hatred.

Pansy knew that Harry was doubtlessly aware that her 'schedule' consisted solely of wondering when the family's food supply and heat would run out, and she would have the option of deciding whether to starve to death or to freeze first. Given that she had little option whether to accept the offer or not, and given their earlier meeting where she was the one to broach the topic of further association, he could certainly expect her to agree.

Pansy was impressed that, given his presumed knowledge of her dire straits, Harry had written a courteous and business-like letter, as he might have written a similar letter to a respected professional person. If nothing else, the letter indicated the Harry respected her abilities, as he seemed to offering a very senior role in his life (at least for the present).

She was also impressed that Harry expressed concern for the well-being of the owl which carried the message, and specified that she need not be responsible for feeding it. This also indicated even more clearly that he was aware of her situation, and did not wish to impose on her limited resources. It appeared that Harry only hurt people he meant to hurt, and she was apparently not on _that_ list.

At the very least, Pansy expected the meeting to be a bit rough, given their history of mutual antagonism. She could expect a demand for a vow of loyalty, if she was going to be a confidential advisor, as this implied that she would have access to some of the most intimate and private aspects of Harry's life and dealings with wizarding society. This was going to require some thought as to how much free will she was willing to give up. It also required some thought as to whether she was really giving up anything, or going to gain a huge step up in the world.

She quickly pulled out a piece of parchment and quill, and wrote a short note agreeing to the meeting at the time and place stated. She politely thanked Harry for his tentative offer, and, with a bit of a twinkle in her eyes as she wrote, said she looked forward to being on his staff. She imagined that Ginny Weasley (at least) would also read her letter, and if Harry didn't get the implications, Ginny certainly would. She imagined Harry's puzzlement as Ginny broke down laughing, and then explaining the joke to him. However, if he did understand the reference, he would definitely remember that her offers at their previous meeting had been quite explicit.

She found a small bit of meat in the ice-box (as an old pure-blood family, the Parkinsons had not accepted muggle technology like refrigerators), and offered it to the owl as she inserted her note into its message sack. The owl nodded its head to her, indicating its appreciation for this additional food, and took off on its return journey.

Pansy, being a clever young woman who would want to appear at her best, immediately considered what she would wear to the meeting. She could expect Ginny Weasley and Hermione (Weasley now, having just married Ron) to be at the meeting, as well as Ron Weasley who had an innate mistrust of all Slytherins. If she dressed in Slytherin colours, she would immediately antagonise them, and if she dressed too 'sexy', she would annoy the women who would suspect (in part correctly) that she was trying to seduce Harry. If she dressed in Gryffindor colours of scarlet and gold, they would suspect her of trying to suck up to them all, and mistrust her even more than they already did.

She decided that a grey skirt suit with a pale green blouse would be just the right combination, as the grey and green would be a subtle reference to the Slytherin colours of black and forest green, thereby stating that she recognised that her background was not theirs and she knew it and was not denying it, but the muted shades would be an indication that she had moved away from the in-your-face stance of her previous life. This combination would declare that she knew who she had been, but those days were past.

If Harry didn't understand the symbolism of her choice of costume, the women of the group of advisors certainly would.

On the appointed day, Pansy floo'd over to The Three Broomsticks in Hogmeade, where she and other student had spent many carefree weekends in what seemed several lifetimes ago. The proprietrix asked her what she would care for to drink or eat, and indicated that the catering had been arranged by Lord Potter and that there would be no charge to Pansy. Pansy was directed to climb the stairs to the upstairs room, and that the refreshments would be brought up – if she wished only pumpkin juice, butterbeer or that strange muggle concoction coffee, all three were already provided in the room above, and there were sandwiches as well.

Pansy knocked on the door, and was bid to enter. She moved into the room, and Harry Potter stood to take her travelling cloak and hang it up. Pansy noticed that there were some powerful illusion charms in place in the room, indicating a number of people present but unseen at the moment. She could see Ginny Weasley, Ron and Hermione Weasley, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood.

Harry looked at Pansy and said "I must first tell you that I intend to discuss some confidential information with you during this meeting. I must therefore ask if you would be willing to agree to a memory modification spell, if we do not agree to terms."

Pansy had been thinking over the likely agenda of the meeting for a couple of days, and knew that as a 'confidential advisor', she would have to be party to Harry's closest secrets, so she was well prepared for this demand. She was also sure that, if she did not agree to this condition, she would not find out who the other persons were whose identities needed to be hidden unless she agreed, the meeting would end, and she would return to her desperate situation with no hope of any future as far as Harry was concerned. She agreed to the condition.

Harry gestured with his wand and called out "Finite Incantatem". The air in the room shimmered and four more people appeared, Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, a middle-aged couple who looked a lot like Ron and Ginny, and a tall black man.

He gestured to the group in the room, and asked if she needed any introductions. Most of the people, she knew from Hogwarts, but was introduced to Arthur and Molly Weasley, and to Kingsley Shacklebolt, the new Minister of Magic. Pansy was stunned at the presence of Shacklebolt, as his attendance indicated that the meeting was to be very important for wizarding society, and that Harry had some very powerful friends.

Harry gestured for Pansy to sit, and offered her some refreshments. She indicated that the hostess was bringing her order up shortly.

Harry started "Pansy, thank you for coming to this meeting. The things you told me last September raised some very important issues for me, personal, social and political, which you are well placed to assist me with. I have been thinking a lot about the things we discussed, and I have had serious discussions with these people and others."

Your social position in the wizarding world is very different than my own, as you pointed out, and you have insights into the social workings of our world that are going to be important to me and my family in the future. Lord Longbottom is also of a high-born family, and has provided me with some insight into the workings of society. Are you willing to assist me in furthering my understanding of my role in the wizarding world, and how I am to function as the Head of two Houses?"

Pansy nodded "As I indicated last September, I would be happy to do so. I believe that I can help you with some of the finer details of the rather nasty social world we inhabit."

Harry continued "Some of the information I will be looking for may require revealing things which will not to the advantage of some of your previous acquaintances. In particular, I am concerned with old families who have been conspiring against the lives of me personally and of my associates. I gathered from your statements at our earlier meeting that this would not be a problem for you. Is this still your position?"

Harry was asking her to possibly betray old friends, or old family relations. Pansy thought this over, and knew the 'old friends' that he was concerned about had been trying to kill him (or at least aiding the conspiracies to do so) for most of his life. She also knew that these 'old friends' would betray her at the drop of a hat, if their own interests called for it. Her declaration that she was willing to turn Harry over to Voldemort was done based on her knowledge that Voldemort and his followers would be just as happy killing her as not, if not more. Many of them had betrayed her already, and she felt no loyalty to them.

Pansy announced that she still held that opinion. She also stated that she knew, in agreeing to possibly betray one set of people, she was opening herself up to the charge that she was unworthy of any trust, and she wished to lay that suspicion (looking at the scowl on Ron Weasley's face) to rest at once. She offered to take a vow of loyalty to the Houses of Potter and Black, and to make it an Unbreakable Vow! Inwardly, she smiled at the gasps from many in the room, as such a vow would cause her death if she ever broke it.

Harry and Hermione looked at her with narrowed eyes, as they contemplated this declaration. Harry looked around the room, and focused on Luna Lovegood, who smiled and nodded. One of Luna's talents was the ability to see emotions, and she could see that Pansy was being honest, if somewhat frightened, but also hopeful. Luna looked back at Harry and nodded. Others in the room nodded as well. Even Ron appeared satisfied with this resolution.

Harry said "Very well. How would you go about determining who and how such conspiracies were taking place?"

Pansy thought for a moment. She had just been handed a blank cheque to find things out, and to set up what, in her own mind, from that point on she would call 'Harry's Spies'. She said "As I indicated when we last met, I have an extensive circle of old family acquaintances and schoolmates, with their own extensive circles of acquaintances. I would like to hire some of them to assist in gathering information, and analysing the data. They do not all need to know what the purpose of the information gathering is. From my school days, I know most of the families who were on the inside of the Death Eater operations, even if they did not take the Dark Mark themselves. I know who were their client families, and who their connections were."

"Further, I know many families that, although they seemed to be connected to the dark forces, mostly because their children were in Slytherin house (nodding to Ron), but who were not affiliated with the dark side. I believe that they would appreciate the opportunity to clear their names in the eyes of the world. I am one of them"

Harry nodded again. He looked over at Shacklebolt, and said "Minister?"

Kingsley Shacklebolt stood. Pansy had not realised how tall he was, as he was at least a metre taller than herself.

"Miss Parkinson, you are doubtlessly aware that the Ministry of Magic has been rife with corruption under my predecessors. Several Death Eater families and their associates have either been in influential positions, or buying off those who were. Some of the information you would be gathering may help us, how shall I put it, 'clean house'. Would this be a program with which you could be in sympathy?"

Pansy nodded "Yes I could. The corruption in our society has caused a lot of grief to many people. Personally, I was a pawn to the machinations of that corrupt society. I went along, as it seemed to be the only way to advance. I would be very much happier to make my way in the world through my own abilities and personality, rather than just by who I slept with or had to bribe in other ways."

The Minister continued, "Very good. If you and Lord Potter agreed to associate, I suspect that a lot of the information which is of interest to him personally will also be of interest to me. I do not know if you were aware of an organization which was working for the downfall of Lord Voldemort and his minions, but many in this room were, if not full members, at least in league with this society."

Pansy nodded. "There was a rumour floating around in Slytherin about a group of what they called blood-traitors, which seemed to mean that they didn't support Voldemort or the Malfoy's pure blood agenda. Sort of a grown-up version of the Dumbledore's Army club that Harry and his friends had. 'The Firebird Club', or something like that."

Shacklebolt smiled "Something like that. Did you have any idea who belonged to the 'Firebird Club'?" Kingsley obviously enjoyed the incorrect name.

Pansy said, "Well, it was kind of obvious that Dumbledore had to be one of the important members. I suspected Professor Moody, and Mr and Mrs Weasley, as well as Professor Lupin. There were some others whose names I didn't catch, like Professor Lupin's girlfriend with the weird hair." This admission came as a shock to some in the room, as they had thought that Tonks' activities had been well concealed, including her relationship with Remus. "The kids didn't seem to be involved directly, as they had their own club since Umbridge came to Hogwarts."

Kingsley said "Did you every reveal these suspicions to Draco Malfoy or the others of his set?"

Pansy shook her head. "No."

Kingsley asked "Why not?"

The young woman thought for a moment. "Partly because people were starting to die around us, and I was disgusted by what Umbridge was getting away with. Advancing your political power was one thing; that's the way the game is played. But torturing students and lying to her superiors (and I use that term is all of its senses) was unforgivable. I didn't know whether she was sleeping with the Minister, or just knew where all the bodies were buried, or had copies of the receipts for all his bribe, but she had an awful lot of pull with the Ministry."

"Second, by that time, I was very disillusioned with the whole program and its people. Draco had been telling everyone in Slytherin how important and smart and brave he and his father were, but they had to know that the Weasley's were somehow involved in going after them and their friends – how could they not, when Mr Weasley was leading raids with the hit wizards on Malfoy holdings every two months. As I said, people were getting hurt, and the oh-so-brave-and-important leaders only attacked helpless muggles, and unsuspecting and innocent squibs. If they weren't brave enough to attack the primary targets, or intelligent enough to figure out who their enemies really were, I wasn't very keen to help them."

Kingsley nodded, and looked over at Harry, who looked over to Luna and the rest. Harry smiled and nodded as well.

Kingsley continued. "Anyway, since Harry relieved us of our primary objective, it is now the function of the organization to cleanse our society of the influence of these people. You may know that Mr Weasley here was in the department devoted to stopping the misuse of muggle artefacts. Part of his work was seeking out those who were mistreating and murdering muggles. He, and others, found that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was being hampered in its operation by the corruption of high officials, who officials were ordering the investigations of certain high-caste families be dropped, and certain events were not to be looked at from a view of determining criminal activities. It is my intent that this situation must be stopped. Would this be an issue for you?"

Pansy smiled and said "Only to the extent that I would like to help."

Kingsley nodded and looked at Harry. "Lord Potter?"

Harry looked around the room. The others in the room nodded their agreement. Harry looked at Pansy and said "Pansy Parkinson, I would like to offer you the position of "Confidential Advisor on Societal Affairs'. How would you wish to conduct your functions in this office?"

Pansy thought for a moment about the offer and its implications. She looked at Harry and then said, "Given what you have told me, I think I will need an office with room for a staff of at least ten people. I will need a legal advisor, secretarial staff and analysts for the data collected. I will also need investigative staff, as I will not be able to conduct all the studies myself. I will also need frequent and direct contact with you, should I find any critical information. I assume that I will also need a liaison officer with the Ministry, same reason."

"The location of the office should be in a secure location, not in the Ministry nor any of the Potter or Black residences, with strong wards to prevent unwanted intrusions – I suspect that there will be those who will not appreciate my efforts. It will also need secure floo connections to your houses to allow for urgent meetings when necessary."

"And Harry, I would like to set up a fashion house."

Harry's eyes widened. "Why would you want to do something like that?"

Pansy smiled "It would serve a two-fold purpose. First and most important as a function of my work, a good fashion house would attract women of the high-born houses, who may be privy to information we seek. When women are shopping for clothes, they tend to gossip, particularly when they are only wearing their underwear while trying on clothing. This may be a fruitful source of knowledge."

"Second, and this is more of a personal item, there are a number of our classmates who were members of the sewing and fashion club, as was I, and who have been having a hard time of it since school. Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis were in Slytherin with me, and as I told you, their families kept well out of the whole Dark Lord club. However, they were from Slytherin, and therefore suspect to a lot of our society following the battle. Tracey and Lavender Brown, one of yours from Gryffindor house, were the most talented dressmakers and designers in the club, and Daphne was interested in a career in modelling. Lavender has been working as an apprentice at Madam Malkin's in Diagon Alley since graduation, but Daphne and Tracey had not been able to get work, at least under their own names. Personally, I would like to see them succeed, and maybe be a good source for our investigations. Might even be a good investment."

Harry looked a bit surprised at this turn of events. He smiled, and then looked at Ginny and Luna, who both smiled and nodded. They had discussed this possibility.

Harry turned back to Pansy and said "Pansy, you have demonstrated that you have the cunning that we talked about, but also kindness. I value such kindness highly. Therefore, I would like to modify my offer of employment."

Pansy looked stunned and a bit worried. How could asking to help some old school friends affect her future? Was Harry going to rescind the offer?

Harry said, "Pansy, I still offer you the position as confidential advisor, and I will accept your vow of loyalty. However, I would like to extend another offer as well."

"Pansy, you indicated that, between the high Houses, marriages were a way of cementing political alliances, as much or more than they are love matches. Would you be able to persuade your father, as Head of the House of Parkinson, to such an alliance on that basis?"

Pansy's heart leapt – it had happened! She had already discussed this possibility with her father, who had been keen to ally his house to the Potter-Black families, as this would largely restore his position in society. The tentative offer of 'confidential advisor' could have been construed as including pillow talk. She said, "I have spoken with my father on the topic of allying our house to your houses, in light of your tentative offer. He was willing to take your lead in political areas, and would welcome such an alliance."

Harry stood up, and walked over to where Pansy was sitting. He knelt on one knee and took her hands in his.

"In that case, Pansy, will you please marry me? If you accept, you will become the Lady of the Ancient and Noble House of Black."


	4. A Visit to the Bank

**A Visit to the Bank**

On the day after New Year's Day, Ginevra Weasley became Lady Potter when she wed Harry James Potter. The event was covered by both of the wizarding newspapers and live coverage by the Wizarding Wireless service. All of Harry and Ginny's friends were in attendance, as her mother's long-held dream for her daughter came true.

New Year's Day would have seemed to have been a more appropriate day for the celebration, as it was a bank holiday and most people could attend. However, the Holyhead Harpies and the Glasgow Tartans both had away games that afternoon (the Harpies in Milan, and the Tartans in Dublin), and both Ginny and Harry felt that they would need time to bathe and get rid of the stink of an intense game of quidditch before donning their finery for the ceremony. Ginny had refused to walk down the aisle on her father's arm, reeking of sweat and with greasy hair.

In attendance as one of the bridesmaids was Pansy Parkinson. This item of news raised many eyebrows to the readers of the Daily Prophet, while the Quibbler had already informed its readership that Harry Potter, aka Lord Black, was betrothed to Miss Parkinson, with the agreement of his other fiancé, Miss Weasley, who was soon to become the consort of Harry in his role as Lord Potter.

The Quibbler article then went on to speculate on the bedroom politics and scheduling issues which would arise in the not too distant future at whichever of Harry's residences the two Ladies (one Potter, one Black) would occupy. The article also recommended that Harry might consider installing his two wives in locations as far apart as humanly possible, given the legendary and historical animosity between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins, represented by the two women.

As a senior and respected witch, and a member of the Wizarding Legislature (the Wizengamot), Augusta Longbottom had been asked to officiate, and she had agreed, saying that she was very honoured to do so. After the couple had exchanged rings, she pronounced Harry and Ginny man and wife, wizard and witch. As they kissed, they touched their rings together (with their left hands) and touched their wands together, holding them in their right hands. At this moment of binding, a wave of binding magic flowed over the assembled congregation.

The morning after the wedding and reception (and the bedding), a traditional wedding breakfast was held at the Potter Manor. In addition to numerous Weasleys, Hermione had brought her parents along, as they had been at the wedding itself. It was planned to open the wedding gifts that afternoon, and Hermione was in charge of recording what came from whom. However, before any presents were opened, several senior members of the Order of the Phoenix cast detection spells making sure that none held unpleasantries from those who did _not_ wish the couple well.

Harry and Ginny came down the stairs with wide smiles on their faces, and a rosy glow in their cheeks, to the cheers of the assembled guests.

Luna looked up from her hotcakes and orange juice (Hermione having introduced her to the delicacies of muggle cuisine, and Harry having finally been able to convince Florie that there were things besides pumpkins which could be turned into juice) and dreamily remarked "I see that the unwrapping of the wedding gifts went satisfactorily."

As Molly Weasley burst into laughter and Hermione smirked, Harry frowned a puzzled frown. "I thought that was happening this afternoon."

Ginny blushed sweetly, and Hermione shook her head "Harry, sometimes, you can be so thick!" Harry thought about this odd reaction, and then the light came on. He said "Oh."

Ginny smiled coyly and said quietly "The unwrapping of the gifts went very well, thank you."

Harry looked at the pile of wedding presents and thought to himself "..like I need more stuff!" Out loud, he said "People are almost treating us like royalty!"

Luna and Hermione looked at each other and grinned. Luna said "Be very thankful you're not royalty."

Harry asked "Why not?"

Hermione smiled more widely and said "It is the custom with muggle royalty that the consummation of the marriage be witnessed by a large number of senior members of the court." Harry looked shocked at this revelation.

As gifts were being opened, Hermione was writing down the origins of the presents in four categories, those from personal acquaintances, those from official sources (such as the House of Lords, who congratulated the Laird of Clan Black on his nuptials, and expected his presence in the House in the next session of Parliament), those who were obviously just trying to suck up to the 'Man-Who-Conquered', and those from 'questionable' sources or showing disillusion spell traces. These last items got a thorough going-over by some serious detection spells, and Pansy noted the sources of these very carefully.

Refreshments flowed, as refreshments will at a party.

Partway through the afternoon, a large barn owl began pecking at the large front window of the Manor. Harry retrieved the message from its pouch and read:

_Lord and Lady Potter:_

_We at Gringott's Bank wish to express our congratulations on your mating ritual. In light of this change in marital status, we request your presence at a meeting with Senior Account Advisor Grippinghand on Tuesday next at 9 AM, to be held at Gringott's London branch. We understand that neither of you has a quidditch match that day, so we believe the date will be acceptable._

_In light of your marriage and obligations under the marriage laws, there are issues concerning access to the Potter family accounts and vaults which require attention. There are also other confidential matters which we would like to discuss._

_Please respond by owl at your earliest convenience._

_Hornnose_

_Branch Manager, London_

_Gringott's Bank_

As there was plenty of snacks and hors d'oeuvres still out on plates, the owl was fed well for its return flight as Harry, Ginny and Pansy discussed the possible range of topics to be covered in the meeting, particularly the 'confidential matters'.

Harry's marriage to Pansy Parkinson was scheduled for the first Saturday in February. She had therefore not yet taken the title of Lady Black, but Harry and Pansy thought it important that she attend the meeting as well, as much of the discussion of access to vaults and accounts would apply to the Black fortune as well. Ginny thought it over, and agreed enthusiastically. She pointed out that Pansy might be aware of implications which she (as a girl from a lower status family) would not notice. Given the rather nasty contents of some of the 'presents' which they had received, Ginny saw that the paranoia shared by Pansy and Harry was probably well warranted. As Harry pointed out repeatedly, when your whole life has been occupied with dodging attempts on your life, it's not paranoia.

The following Tuesday, the two Potters and the soon-to-be Lady Black arrived at Gringott's and were soon shown into a large meeting room. The goblin escorting them into the room had tried to allow only Harry and Ginny in, but Harry insisted that Pansy was his confidential advisor, and would attend the meeting or else there would be no meeting. After leaving the trio in the anteroom and conferring with someone within a nearby office, the escort led them into the chamber.

The room was large and tastefully decorated with ornately carved wood. The impression was of wealth, carefully and well used. This spoke well of the bank's management and of their aesthetics.

A tall well-dressed goblin entered the room, accompanied by a number of goblins carrying reams of papers, large leather-bound books and bound documents. These obvious subordinates arranged themselves on one side of the large meeting table, with the head goblin at the end of the table. This personage gestured to Harry to sit near the head of the table near him.

The goblins bowed to Harry and their chief greeted him formally "Lord Potter, Lady Potter, we wish you the highest blessings on your mating."

Harry responded formally, "Senior Account Advisor Grippinghand, may your holdings ever increase."

Harry pulled out a chair for Ginny, who sat, and then pulled out the chair for Pansy. At this action, the chief goblin scowled at Harry, who was then taking his place at the chair indicated to him.

The goblin looked at Harry, then at Pansy and asked in a harsh voice "Who is this woman? She was not invited to this meeting."

Harry answered "This is Miss Pansy Parkinson."

The goblins all hissed their disapproval at this news. Their chief asked sharply "Why is she here? At your school, she was of the House of the Snakes. She was the lover of the son of the principal Death Eater, a follower of the born-again evil one. His plans promised ill will and harm to the goblin nation!"

Harry spoke in a quiet tone "Honoured Senior Account Adviser Grippinghand, Miss Parkinson is my fiancé, who is shortly to become my wife as Lady Black. She is also my advisor on matters involving my place in the wizarding world, where my own upbringing and education is sorely lacking. In addition, she has given me her Unbreakable Oath of loyalty, both personally, to my family or families, and to the House of Black. And Honourable Sir, please just call me Harry.""

"The letter I received offering this meeting indicated that we were to review some financial matters dealing with myself and Lady Potter. As Miss Parkinson is soon to become Lady Black, it seemed prudent and a more efficient use of your valuable time if she attend, as she and I would soon have required a similar meeting to deal with the financial matters of the House of Black."

The goblin nodded. "Lord Potter, ah, Harry, as a representative of Gringott's Bank, I thank you for your consideration of the value of our time and your concern for efficiency. I also applaud your precaution of accepting such a vow of loyalty. We at Gringott's have found that the followers of the Snake, although prudent in matters of finance, could not be trusted. However, in this case, we will accept that you trust this person, and we will extend our trust as well."

"Welcome Miss Parkinson, soon to be Lady Black. We do not mean any disrespect to yourself, and your understanding of matters of wizarding society will be valuable to Lord Potter. We wish to speak of such matters later, and we will welcome your input."

"Lord Potter, and I use your formal title because this is a formal matter, some of the matters I wish to bring to your attention are indeed aspects of the laws relating to your properties. However, I also wish to raise issues of which you may not be aware, and may be to our mutual advantage to discuss."

Pansy's eyes opened wide at this indication that there was more than banking to be looked at.

The goblin began by speaking quietly to one of his subordinates, who left the room. He soon returned with eight other goblins carrying more documents and leather-bound books.

The chief goblin looked at Harry and started to speak. "Lord Potter, these documents, which my staff first brought into the room, document the holdings of the Potter family accounts and vaults. These additional documents deal with the Black family holdings."

Ginny's eyes widened as she looked at the mound of documents related to the Potter fortune, of which she was now the mistress and chatelaine (or so she suspected). The size of the pile implied that the Potters' wealth was beyond even her wildest dreams. She looked at Pansy, who was making similar conclusions about the even larger pile of documents related to the Black family wealth.

Grippinghand looked at a short parchment, and said "This is a summary of the properties and estates you own, control or have a significant investment in. All are directed by land managers or stewards (in the absence of your direct supervision), and the accounts are monitored by our staff to make sure that funds derived from these holdings are deposited in the correct vaults."

The goblin continued. "I see that you are bound under the marriage laws to have a principal wife, and a number of concubines, for each of your Houses. This has an effect on the distribution of authority over your holdings." He looked at Ginny and Pansy, who were puzzled by this comment.

The goblin unrolled a group of parchments, and handed one to each of the humans and goblins in the room. He said to Harry "This is a copy of the law of marriage which dictates your familial responsibilities to the wizarding community, and specifies the allocation of your resources. I doubt that you have seen the original text, and I believe it wise that you do so. I gather that you are not exactly keen on the fact that the Wizengamot sees fit to decide your marital status, and requires you to breed incessantly."

"I must point out to you that this is only the third time I have seen this particular law invoked, in my life which has now spanned six centuries. The previous times were during the religious wars of the 16th century and seventeen century, under Henry VIII and the Puritan Revolution. In each of those cases, the wizarding community was almost wiped out, and there was an unpopular wizard who ended up as the head of two houses as a result. The invoking of this law was attributed to the supposed need to repopulate both houses, but was in effect a way to distract the unpopular wizard with familial duties while others plotted and schemed to eliminate the wizard himself and both of his houses. In one of the cases, the plots succeeded."

"Lord Potter, as a representative of Gringott's Bank and of the goblin nation, I and my superiors believe that your actions in the last few years have preserved our people by destroying the greatest threat to magical folks, other than pure-blood humans, that we have faced in many years. We do not think it is wise to let such schemes go undetected, nor to let such plots, if they exist, come to fruition."

"We do not think it in our interests to allow such plotting to go forward as it has done in the recent past. This is why I am pleased that Miss Parkinson has committed herself to you and your interests. She is in a position to see what forces are active in society, as we are able to see what forces are active in the financial sphere."

"We propose that we work together on this project, as allies!"

Harry was stunned by this admission. He thought of how families, like the Malfoys, has essentially bought their ways out of investigations and even out of prison by bribing Ministerial officials. Having someone watch the galleons while Pansy watched the people could be a very valuable asset.

Harry asked for a moment to discuss the matter with Pansy and Ginny, but all agreed that this alliance would be a marvellous gift to them from the goblins.

Harry turned to Grippinghand and nodded his agreement. He said "Senior Account Advisor Grippinghand, I am honoured by this offer of friendship and alliance, and I agree wholeheartedly!"

Grippinghand smiled (and a goblin's smile is a truly frightening sight), and said "I said nothing of friendship, Lord Potter. That may come over time. For now, there is alliance and respect." Harry laughed at this clarification, and said "An alliance is a very good basis for a possible friendship to come", and shook Grippinghand's hand.

The goblin looked over to Pansy, and said "Miss Parkinson, I will arrange for you to have a liaison goblin and an office in this building for your use. I believe a close working relationship between Harry's financial and social advisors would be a prudent arrangement." Pansy readily agreed to this suggestion.

Grippinghand smiled at Harry and said "I can appreciate how the laws made by others, particularly others whom you do not respect as they have earned no such respect, can force you into things you would otherwise not have ever contemplated doing. The wizards forced the goblins into the banking industry, many centuries ago. It was the only occupation we were allowed to pursue, so we became very good at it. We are now at a point where, to be a senior account advisor like myself, you must be able to actually see the flow of financial power (not just who has the money, but who is using the power inherent in their wealth)."

"I understand that there are humans who, because of bigotry, are forced into a limited range of occupations. In Japan, there are those who deal with the dead and dominate the leather-goods trade. In Europe, there are those who, like us, were only allowed into banking and jewels, and so dominate the banking and diamond industries. When it is all you're allowed to do, you become very good at it in order to survive. Now there are some, who ignore that their own bigotry or that of their ancestors has forced the situation upon them, now resent the success of those they have persecuted. There are many pure-blood humans who now are demanding that goblins give up the power of the banks – they were the ones who forced us into this situation, and we will not give up the wealth or power that we have attained."

"Indeed, we would like to use this power we have amassed to help in your quest to eradicate the bigotry against other magical peoples. Hence our proposed alliance."

"Anyway, back to the publically admissible purpose of this meeting. I will review the provisions of the law governing multiples marriages of the Head of two or more Ancient and Noble Houses. As you can surmise, this occurs rarely, and as I have mentioned, usually only under conditions of serious depopulation of wizarding society because of war or epidemics. During the Great Nargle infestation of 926 and the subsequent flea-born plague, there were three cases where a wizard ended up the Head of two Houses – in those cases, the law only was applied to require marriages of the official wife, as females were also affected by the dying, although not to quite the same degree as males. In wars, males are selectively eliminated from the gene pool, and so there are many more females and concubines are suggested. Others, I have mentioned where the law was strictly enforced and one wizard had eighteen concubines before he was murdered (or died of exhaustion, the records are unclear on this point)."

"Where the law has been specifically and completely enforced, as in your case, there is an interesting conflict between the need for many offspring, and the old requirements of conserving the assets of the House in the hands of the legitimate heir. As you can see, the law specifies that the heir be the eldest son of the principal and official wife, the 'Lady' of the House. There are provisions if she is barren or produces only daughters. If barren, then the eldest son of one of the concubines may be declared as the heir. If there are no offspring, and heir can be adopted or designated as was the case of yourself being the heir to House Black."

"In any case, the bulk of the estate, about 90 percent and including all the real estate, is to remain as the inheritance of the heir, while the other resources in liquid instruments can be bequeathed to other offspring."

"Now the fun part. The 'Lady' of the house is allowed access to 75 percent of the assets of the House, while the other 25 percent is to be shared among the concubines of the House. If no concubines, then the 'Lady' is still not allowed access to the other funds unless specifically authorised by the 'Lord' of the House."

"None of the wives may dispose of any real estate which is property of the House. All have a life interest in the property and interest from the funds, but do not retain any rights to the property itself (except by way of dower rights for property she brought into the marriage, or gifts received from their husband or others). The rights all fall to the male heir."

"Further, the 'Lord' of the Houses is required to personally decide which portion and items of the assets are to be accessed by which of his wives. This is what I referred to when I remarked about being distracted by familial obligations. This provision has the potential for extreme strife within the family."

"Harry, in your case, unless you have at least 80 concubines as Lord Potter and 150 as Lord Black, each of your concubines would qualify as a millionaire, and that is in galleons. In muggle money, it would be more."

Ginny and Pansy were dumbfounded when they realised what the other 75% entailed. Harry was completely stunned by the magnitude of the pile he was sitting on – he had been informed of the virtually unlimited funds available to him, when he met with the goblins to go over his inheritances, but this was the first time the assets had been fully enumerated. Hermione, Ginny and Pansy had been correct in their statements that he was wealthy, but having grown up impoverished and underfed, 'overwhelmed' didn't even approach his reaction.

Harry could also see the validity of Pansy's statement "When you have a pile of shit, you will have flies". He remembered how Ron Weasley had envied his buying the goodies on the trolley on the Express, and saw how many 'friends' would be coming after him to 'share' what they saw as his good fortune. The fact that he did not see this as good fortune, as his loved ones had to die for him to have it, would only be acknowledged by those closest to him.

Grippinghand pointed at the pile of documents. "Harry, in order to fulfill the requirements of the law, I will need you to go through the records of your holdings, and declare which assets your principal wives will have access to, and which will await the selection of your concubines. We will need this information within one year of your marriage dates. I recognise the scale of this task, and offer an office in this building and the assistance of a staff of five goblins, for a fee of course. In light of our new alliance, I have been authorised to offer a discount of 10% from our usual fees for this kind of service."

Harry smiled at the goblin and asked "You are offering only a 10% discount?"

Grippinghand laughed again (a horrifying sight, even when you are in agreement) and said, "Now Lord Potter, remember, we _are_ bankers. We do charge fees for services."

"Now are there any other financial issues you would like to discuss?"

Harry sat there stunned. He thought, "Maybe I should have run away after all!"

Three hours later, Harry and 'his ladies' left the office at Gringott's, carrying a range of muggle credit cards, and signet rings which served the same function in the wizarding world. All were tied to vaults containing sufficient funds to buy a small nation.

Pansy looked at Ginny, and with a twinkle in her eye said, "You want to go shopping? Shall we see if we can bankrupt our husband?"

This was the first time Ginny had seen Pansy's sense of humour. She responded "Yes please. After some of what they told us, I think I need to buy some new underwear. I don't think it's going to hurt the family either, because I snuck a look on the list of properties, and I think Harry owns most of Diagon Alley already."

Harry shook his head in continued shock. He said, "Well, I don't know about you two, but I am going over to the 'Leaky'. I really need a drink!"


	5. The Laws of Concubinage

**The Laws of Concubinage**

A moderately pregnant Ginny Potter was sitting in the gazebo with her extremely pregnant co-wife. Over the last few years, Ginny and Pansy had come to like each other's company, having had a rocky beginning learning to trust each other and the other's love for their joint husband. Ginny still thought that Pansy was sometimes a conniving bitch, while Pansy often thought Ginny was a sentimental fool, and both knew that Harry needed both of them, and their skills and talents, in his life. Ginny was the one who came up with the term 'swife' (short for sister-wife) to describe their relationship with each other. How the rest of the family's were now related was still a bit of a puzzle, partly as Ron had a lot of problem getting past his and Pansy's school affiliations.

With them was their pregnant sister-in-sort-of-law (as Ginny put it), Dr Hermione Weasley (PhD Chemistry and Potions, as well as LL.D.) who was due in about fortnight. Also due in a couple weeks was Florie the house elf, who was serving refreshments to the ladies. Sitting with them, drinking tea, lemonade, or chilled white wine (from one of Harry's Australian vineyards) were three happy soon-to-be grandmothers (in Molly and Elly's cases, for multiple times), and an elder respected Scottish witch.

Ginny had just explained that she always timed her pregnancies for a summer delivery, so that she could play out the quidditch season before her balances was too far off, and then get back into shape afterwards for the start of the fall season. Her team captain had her play Chaser until she was about 5 months along (with heavy protective charms to prevent injuries), then switch to Seeker for the remainder of the season and the playoff, as that position had less risk of collisions.

Headmistress McGonagall had just informed the group that she had checked the Hogwarts book of births, and all of their children had been registered, indicating that they were all magically gifted. Pansy was surprised when Minerva (as she demanded they call her, now that they were all adults) told her that one 'Tamara Alexandra Potter' had been registered in the book, even though she knew of no such child. Pansy smiled and said "That's the name Harry and I chose for this little lump", pointing at her enlarged belly. Minerva looked stunned and said "She is going to be a very powerful witch then, because I have only known of one other child who was so powerful that they was registered even before they were born, and that was Albus Dumbledore."

The gazebo was located in the middle of what Harry had called 'The Ladies' Garden', which had plants which were either special to, or representative of, the women he thought most important in his life. He had planned this out with Bruce (Florie's husband, and primary garden elf) to make sure that the soil and sun exposure would be appropriate for the various plants.

Ginny told Headmistress McGonagall that Harry was becoming fascinated by the flying insects he watched as they were getting the garden planted, and then when it was modified as the family increased. He was now studying entomology by correspondence through the Open University, specializing on bee and butterflies – he said he had never seen anything at Hogwarts as magical as watching as a fat worm-like creature went to sleep for a couple weeks and woke up as a creature with beautiful wings. Ginny wondered if Harry saw parallels between his treatment as a child being told he was worthless (the worm), and then McGonagall's getting him into an honoured position in quidditch (the butterfly), and this might be why he loved flying so much.

Near the back were a row of olive trees, at the foot of which were several varieties of lilies, and bands of marigolds - when Ginny's first daughter was born, Harry looked at the little pink face surrounded by an aura of strawberry-blond fuzz, and decided that Marigold would be a suitable name, at which point Molly asked how he had known that was her favourite flower, so the flowers served a double function. Lining the sides of the garden were rows of juniper bushes (Harry admitted to Ginny that it wasn't quite an accurate Dutch translation of her name, but he hoped she wouldn't mind). There were beds of pansies and periwinkles (Hermione's favourite flower). The areas of the juniper and pansies were carefully and specifically kept to an equal size. There was a small patch of pink and purple lupins (Tonks had never told him what flowers she like, but she had loved a 'Lupin'). There was a small patch of moonflowers, for a family friend and sister-in-arms. There was a newly planted palm tree (surrounded by a suitable warming spell) for little 'Tamara to come' (Pansy's first, due to be born very soon), and a section of the leafy herb for Rosemary (Ginny's second, who had followed James Arthur Sirius). There was a small bush of orange 'Little Flame' roses, in honour of Ron and Hermione's Rosie (Harry, Ginny and Pansy's god-daughter), who had definitely inherited her father's hair colour.

The dure Scottish Headmistress had uncharacteristically teared up when she realized the meaning of the olive trees.

The garden has many paths, and there was room for further plantings, as they became necessary. And in the middle of the garden, surrounded by the fragrance of the flowers, was the gazebo where they would often sit out in the evening talking and watching the stars.

Alexandra Parkinson ('please call me Sasha') was telling Minerva and Molly about a funny event that had happened when she was at Hogwarts, when Minerva was still a junior member of staff, when a large barn owl approached and landed in front of Pansy. The bird held out her leg, so that Lady Black could retrieve the letter attached. Pansy looked at Florie and asked, "Could you please arrange for something for our guest?" Florie smiled and nodded, disappearing and immediately reappearing with a plate of uncooked bacon and what looked like a couple of freshly dead mice. The owl spread her wings, squatted and bowed her head towards Florie and then to Pansy, then gobbled down the treats.

Sasha had never seen her daughter be courteous to an elf before, and none of the women had even seen an owl curtsey before.

Pansy asked to be excused for a minute (again amazing her mother with her politeness, noting that Harry and Ginny were definitely having an effect on the younger witch), and opened the letter which turned out to be from her dorm-mates Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass. She read it, then with wide eyes read it twice more, and then put the note in her pocket. She looked at Ginny and said "Sorry, we need to go in for a minute. Family business." She looked at the older ladies and asked "Would you please excuse us for a short while? Thank you. Hermione, can I ask you to come in with us, and Florie, can you please find Harry and ask him to join us in the study?"

Harry and Ron had gone flying over the Potter estate, and then were wandering around the apple orchard, looking at the developing fruit. Ron had a bottle of butterbeer, while Harry had some of his estate's cider in hand. Ron was commenting how Hermione had taken the book that her parents had given them, and also one that Parvati Sharma (née Patil) had sent her as a wedding present.

Ron said, "Mate, you know how Hermione loves to study and learn new things? She started reading these books, 'The something of Sex', and Parvati's book 'The Camel Suited' or something like that – Hermione insisted on learning Hindi so she could read it in the original language. Couldn't make heads or tails of it myself. All about different ways to make love. Harry, if they had had these at Hogwarts, I would have been a much better student!"

Harry laughed at his chum and asked, "So how are the studies going. What Elly called 'the lab work'?"

Ron grinned widely "Fan-bloody-tastic! You've seen a couple of the results running around playing with your lot."

Florie appeared, and said that Mistress Pansy would like Harry in the study, please.

Harry told the elf he would be there momentarily, and asked Ron to excuse him for a bit. He suggested that Ron take a look at the pastureland just over the hill to the west, and give his opinion of developing the valley as a quidditch pitch, now that Ron had made it up to lead keeper, and assistant coach of the Cannons.

Harry walked across the orchard to the house, being as it was too nice a day to just apparate, and the message did not include any of the family code words intended to indicate urgency without alarming guests.

Harry arrived to find his wives and his best female friend all giggling wildly. Ginny looked up and said "Welcome to the Potter stud farm! Now entering the ring, the prime bull!" Harry grimaced and thought 'What the hell have I gotten myself into now?'

Pansy handed the letter to Harry. Reading it, he found that Tracey and Daphne, having spent their years at Hogwarts among some of the worst excuses of masculinity to be found anywhere, had eventually given up on men entirely. Their friendship, closeness and mutual support in the Slytherin dorms had blossomed into something deeper, and they were now completely and permanently committed to each other. However, England in general, and the wizarding world in specific, did not recognise gay marriages, and there was no way through the marriage laws that they could be recognised as each other's beneficiaries and heirs.

In order to commit 'all their worldly goods' to each other, Daphne and Tracey had formed a company 'Davis Greengrass Holdings'. The letter stated that the corporate name had been chosen to indicate the principal activity of the company. Harry smiled, and saw his wives grinning back at him. As Hermione looked puzzled, Ginny explained the family in-joke that Harry had this habit of approaching them from behind and hugging them, cupping their breasts in his hands as he did so – Pansy had started pretending to pick up a muggle telephone, and announcing in a 'corporate' voice, as if answering a client, "Potter Holdings, Pectoral Developments Department."

Then Harry got to the gist of the letter. Tracey and Daphne wanted children. As neither the muggle or magical worlds accepted their lifestyle as suitable for adopting, and making a public announcement or fight over it would likely get both disowned by their pureblood families, they were asking their old school 'chum' (Pansy indicate this was pushing the definition a bit) to ask her husband if he would be willing to be a sperm donor for them both.

Pansy indicated that, as this affected the entire family, she felt that Ginny had to be part of the decision (which was deeply appreciated by her swife). She also thought there could be legal implications, and although Hermione was now working in the Ministry's legal department and was forbidden to take private clients, they would appreciate Hermione's input.

Harry sat for a while, in deep thought. Finally he asked, "Hermione, can you check on what rights of inheritance such children would have? How would it affect our current children?"

Hermione said "When I was looking up the various things about the marriage laws for you a couple years ago, I found a number of items on the topic. If you do not acknowledge them as yours, they would have no rights of inheritance – they would be considered by wizarding society as fatherless bastards, and would be outcasts. If you acknowledge them, they would have the same rights as any of your other children, except they could not inherit your titles."

"However, even if you do claim them as your own, their mothers would lose any social status they had in wizarding community, being considered no better than whores. They would very likely be disowned by their families. I have met Daphne's father and he is one right piece-of-work."

Pansy added, "I have met her dad too. He is just as likely to find her and beat her to death for dishonouring the family, and more importantly, denying him the bride-price he would get for marrying her off to some rich pureblood."

Harry sat back, putting his hands together and touching his index fingers to his lips as he thought for a couple minutes.

Finally he said simply "No."

He paused, while his wives and friend looked at him in surprise. The man who seemed ready to put his own life at risk for people he didn't even know, was unwilling to do a simple, if pleasurable, act for some school acquaintances and friends of one of his wives.

Harry looked at the women, apologetically. "I cannot. I was an orphan and an outcast. I cannot, I will not, inflict that on an innocent child. I had to put up with the scorn from pureblood society, most of whom were trying to kill me most of the time, and lying about me the rest. I didn't know Daphne or Tracey at all at school, but I cannot do something that would subject them to that level of scorn and personal danger."

He looked at his two wives, then to Hermione. "Hermione, what difference would it make if their mothers were married to me, as my concubines?"

Ginny and Pansy were shocked at this turn of events. They had not thought of this possibility, although it was always part of the whole legal nonsense that began their joint marriage.

Hermione thought for a moment. "If you took Daphne and Tracey as concubines, assuming that they would agree to it, they would be recognised as your wives, but of a lower status than Ginny and Pansy here. For example, they could not sit as members of the Wizengamot in the family seats in their own right (however, you could install them temporarily, by appointed them legally as regents for your other children who are not yet of an age to take their seats). However, they would fall under all the legal protections of the Noble Houses. The children would be in line of succession, but only after the children of your 'primary' marriages. In years past, this would have put your 'primary' children at some personal risk if one of the 'secondaries' got ambitious and wanted to improve their chances of inheriting."

Harry went back into his deep thoughts. Then he sat up and looked at his wives. "Ginny, you told me years ago that you were going to have veto power over such decisions. Pansy, I say that you too have veto power over this. I propose that I marry Tracey and Daphne as my concubines, as the wizarding society's stupid laws seem to require of me – I think we all knew this day would have to come. Pansy, you seem to think enough of these two to even have considered it to the point of bringing it to my attention, and I will trust your judgement on this. If, and only if acceptable to you two and to them, I will provide the sperm for the conception of their children, and I will acknowledge those children as my own. They do not have to live in this house with us, as I have many other properties where they can reside – in fact, if either of you want a secondary residence for your own, it's yours. I will not interfere with their relationship. But any children I help create will have my protection, and no woman will be disadvantaged because of it. Otherwise, no. What do you think? Do you agree?"

Pansy and Ginny looked at each other, and at Harry. Ginny said "Can I have a little time to think about it?" Pansy nodded. Harry smiled, and said "My dear wives and loves, of course, as much time as you want. Just let me know your decision, and we will let them know as well. Now we have guests who are probably waiting to find out what the fuss was about. I think we can trust them all to the point where we can tell them about this, but Gin, I want to be far away from your mother and her temper when you let her in on it."

A month and a half later, three weeks after the Daily Prophet announce that the Man-Who Conquered had been presented with a daughter by his second wife Pansy, it had a further announcement that Harry Potter had taken the beautiful former Daphne Greengrass and the former Tracey Davis as concubine-wives. It did not announce that the two new Potter ladies would be living in a separate dwelling in a small town just outside London, as this information had not been released to the press.

During one of the several family picnics in the fields behind the Manor, the topic of family politics came up. Ginny asked her new swives how they had gotten together, and how they managed to stay out of the Death Eater faction, as they had both been in Slytherin with Draco Malfoy and his cohorts. Pansy had already explained how her own affiliation with Draco had been part of her family's attempt to cosy up to the Malfoy family's wealth and power, and that the pure-blood dialogue had essentially been camouflage in order to fit in; her relationship with Draco had been as much to keep his co-horts from treating her as _their_ plaything, as occurred with a lot of her classmates.

Daphne started "As to the politics, my dad was very ambitious, but he saw the Death Eater group was being led by Lucius Malfoy, who was really power hungry. Dad is what they call a control freak, and he didn't want to be part of any group unless he was in charge. With Malfoy around, even before the Dark Lord came back, that wasn't going to happen, so he wanted no part of it. We were sufficiently wealthy to manage without the connections, but we had never bought into the pure-blood bigotry bullshit which was the 'party line' – one more reason to keep out of it."

Tracey said "In my case, it was fear of Harry." When the group looked at her with questioning expressions, she continued "This was just after the end of the first war with Voldemort. Dad heard all the stories about the Boy-who-lived, and he saw the rise of the Death Eaters who managed to buy their way out of Azkaban; we all knew who they were. He figured that sometime in the future, they were going to go after Harry again, in revenge, or perhaps seeing him as a threat to them replacing Voldemort (if he didn't come back). He also figured that if a fifteen month old baby could blow away the most powerful dark wizard of the last century, when the kid grew up he was going to obliterate Voldemort's followers, either in revenge for his parents, or just because they pissed him off themselves. As it turned out, it was a bit of both, besides old Voldy himself coming back into the game. Anyway, good reasons to keep out of it, on top of the pure-blood nonsense. You have to remember, us Slytherins are sorted for our cunning, not as it often seems, for stupidity."

Tracey started by saying "As to our getting together, I don't know how it was in the Gryffindor tower, but when we first got to Hogwarts, a lot of us were away from home for the first time. We were lonely, and desperately homesick. The second night, as I was lying in bed crying my eyes out, Daph crawled into bed with me and hugged me for comfort. She was crying too, and I hugged back. As winter came on, the additional body warmth was appreciated, too. Those dorms were damned cold. We became best friends."

Daphne commented, "At the same time, a number of the seventh year Snakes were telling the firsties and second-year girls that they were expected to sleep with them, supposedly out of loyalty to Slytherin House. Why loyalty to the House meant we had to screw _them_, I never understood, except that it was a great excuse."

Ginny commented, "In Gryffindor, some sevenths (boys and girls) made the same comment, but it was always laughed off as just a way to tease the younger girls. Nothing really came of it, although in second year Lavender did start going with a seventh year boy shortly after. She said it was by her choice, and that he was her first."

Daphne shook her head, "In Slytherin, it was not a tease or a joke. They meant it. That's how Tracey and I lost our virginities; I think Pansy told you that there weren't many virgins in Slytherin. If the emotional coercion didn't work, physical force did. One way or another, it was rape. Maybe this is what started putting us off men. Trace and I were fortunate, if you can call it that, that our first-timers were quite gentle. Millicent wasn't so fortunate, and she was in the hospital wing for almost a week. I gather you know that Madame Pomfrey was threatened when she tried to report it."

Hermione asked, "How did you manage to fend it off. You are both beautiful women, and I suspect prime targets."

Tracey nodded and laughed sadly "well, between Poppy Pomfrey, my Mum, and Daph's mother, we learned some useful, and frankly, rather nasty charms and hexes. Most importantly, we both learned the 'Contracepta' to keep from getting preggers. We also learned the 'Contracepto', which temporarily made the guys sterile, and the 'Contramax' which made them impotent. The really good ones were the 'Jokichu' which made the guys have intense itching in their crotches, and the 'Clapto' which prevented their urinating without pain for about two weeks."

Daphne laughed with a wicked smile "Strangely enough, Madame Pomfrey couldn't seem to find a cure for these 'ailments', and word quickly spread that the two of us were both infected with something really virulent, and that anyone who insisted on our 'participation' was going to have unpleasant consequences. By spring of first year, they were leaving us alone. We started teaching some of the other girls (or at least the ones we liked) the spells. Unfortunately, there weren't many in our house that we liked that much."

"We didn't care for Pansy much until about fifth year, when we finally saw through her strategy, and got to know the determined but frightened girl who was started to see the consequences of her family's alliances, but was now in too deep to get out safely. We are really glad she made it okay." Looking around the estate, Daphne added, "Pansy, doesn't look like you did too badly, after all. Hopefully, your dad feels this alliance worked out as well as the Malfoy one would have."

Over the next year, Tracey and Daphne kept rigorous track of their cycles, and were regularly checked by their healer for their peak fertility points, at which point Harry did his husbandly duty via a test tube. It didn't work.

The healers checked both women with every diagnostic spell and test known to magical and muggle science, and both ex-Slytherins passed every hurdle, except the most important one of becoming pregnant.

Rumours started to spread about the feared 'pureblood curse'. Harry had not heard about this and asked all his wives, as well as Hermione. The 'curse', if there was such a thing, was that pureblood families, of the highest ranks of society, seldom had more than one child, and it appeared that pureblood families were, as a group, becoming sterile. The only wizarding families with large families were either mixed bloods, or purebloods of lower class who would often marry with muggles or muggle-borns.

Hermione reminded Harry and 'his ladies' of the law she had found years before, about a possible legal cause for 'the curse', although that didn't apply to any of them (which was fairly obvious given the little red-haired children running around the house, and the little dark-haired baby nursed contentedly at Pansy's left breast).

Hermione had spoken to her medical associates, and had found some disturbing news which was kept as a 'Healer's Secret'. There had been a research paper written by a well-placed healer named Michaels, which concluded that the pureblood families, who kept to their 'own kind', were so in-bred that their children tended to be non-magical or idiots. Such children were often seen as a disgrace to the families, and infanticide was often suspected in the disappearances or deaths of such children shortly after birth. Only the rare magical pureblood children seemed to survive infancy, and very few of them would qualify as geniuses. Shortly after this paper was sent to a healer's journal for publication, Healer Michaels disappeared and was never heard from again.

The suspicion that Healer Michaels had been murdered by purebloods infuriated both Hermione and Harry (although it did explain how Voldemort had got so many purebloods to buy into his plans, and did explain the apparent stupidity of a number of Slytherin classmates). This however, was a fight for another day.

What Hermione found in the texts on the laws of inheritance were strange enough.

When she met with the extended Potter family to explain her findings, she announced "This law is really weird. It essentially forbids artificial insemination. It says that, in order to maintain proper respect for the dignity and 'marital rights' of the wife and both families, the transfer of the husband's seed from himself to his wife must be in the 'natural way'. A nationwide spell has been put in place so that any 'seed' transferred by other means will be non-viable. Apparently, this is to prevent pureblood wizards spreading their sperm all over the place, and having lots of children all claiming their inheritance – this is seem as an attack on the dignity (such as it is) of the pureblood families, as well as being a legal nightmare of conflicting claims to the family property. There is a strange clause though, where if the wizard has been injured in such a way that the 'natural way' cannot work, other assisted methods are allowed and the 'seed' will be viable." Harry thought about the implications of such injuries, and visibly cringed, as Hermione laughed at his grimace, and said "Don't worry Harry, if you lose your dinguss playing quidditch, the old turkey baster will come to your rescue!"

At this news, Tracey turned to Daphne, held her hand, and said "Dear Heart, it looks like we're screwed." Daphne looked over at Harry and smiled, and then with a wicked smile on her face she turned to Tracey and said "actually, not yet Heartsong, but if our beloved husband feels that he is up to the task, I suspect we will be soon!"


	6. The Infant Who Survived

**The Infant-Who-Survived, The Man-who-Lived, and Frustrated Friends**

It was summer, nine years after the defeat and death of Lord Voldemort.

The extended family was having a swim and a picnic at Harry's place in Cornwall. Molly and Arthur had arrived in the morning to help, Ron and Hermione and their kids had come over to the Manor in the morning, Bill and Fleur and theirs were coming over in the later afternoon, while George and Angelina and kids were coming over mid-day. Even Percy and Penny were coming over with their kids.

Andromeda Tonks was bringing Teddy over in the afternoon to play with Victoire and the other older children, and Luna Lovegood and a number of other old friends were planning to show up when they could.

Nev and Hannah Longbottom were going to arrive late, as they and their children were checking out the new vintage at some of Neville's vineyards in New Zealand, as well as visiting with the very short race of people who had recently rented out their villages as movie locations and were now adding a booming tourist trade to their usual bucolic lifestyle. For Nev's family, it would be an early breakfast, as the wizarding world had not yet found an effective treatment for floo-lag.

Although entitled to the title (due to the permanent incapacitation of his father), Neville refused to use the title of Lord Longbottom while his father lived (if it could be called living), except during meetings of the Wizengamot as the official representative of his House.

Everyone was to be on the south lawn by six for a picnic supper.

Harry had done his best to follow the dictates of the marriage laws which had imposed two wives and two concubines (so far) on him in order to repopulate the wizarding world. He still resented the fact that it was a legal obligation, but was making the best of it. The hardest part seemed to be when Ron and Hermione came to visit with their brood, keeping track of which small person belonged to what mother.

Hair colour and characteristics helped. If the hair was red or brown, and bushy, the kid definitely one of Ron and Hermione's four. If the child had red unruly hair, Ginny was the mother (the unruly hair was part of Harry's inheritance from his own father). Very light blondes could only belong to Fleur. However, there were a number with straight red hair, or dark smooth hair, who might belong to anyone. As the children had played together since birth, and there were now so many of them (seventeen, between Harry and Ron's families alone), it became a difficult if pleasant task to sort them out. However, while comforting a crying child was a shared responsibility, discipline was solely a parent's job, and sometimes Harry had to make sure which little witch was which.

Headmistress McGonagall kept in touch whenever any of the family produced a new family member, and the book of magical births recorded that all of the children born to the extended Weasleys or the Potter amalgamation were eligible for enrolment at Hogwarts. As the children started showing signs of accidental magic, they were taught simple household spells, but when you have a room of six kids throwing tantrums and causing furniture to fly around, things could get a bit hairy.

Ginny had partially followed her mother's example, and had produced twins with her fifth pregnancy (instead of her fourth, as Molly had done). Having been at their castle in the highlands when her time came due and 'womb service gave the check-out notice', her newest son got named Robert Bruce, and the girl was christened Heather Fiona, adding to the four she already had. Little Athena was now only a year old and still nursing when the twins were born, but Ginny had also followed her mother's example in her physical development and managed to nurse all three.

Pansy had just presented Harry with her fifth child (Madeline), while Daphne and Tracey had finally started 'fulfilling their obligations' as concubines in the House of Black, delivering Thorin (Daphne) and Mariposa (Tracey).

The extended family was relaxing around the pool at the manor, which over the years had been substantially enlarged to have a hot tub, a large wading pool for little legs to splash around in, and an Olympic size section with lanes for the serious swimmers. Harry, Ron and George were assigned to watch the waders (joined by six year old Marcus, Pansy's first), when the ladies were all called over to their respective infants for 'lunch on mum'.

Harry was just pulling Morris (Hermione's) and Tammy (Pansy's) out of the deeper water where the two-year olds had just fallen face first, when he was confronted by two upset little red-headed six-year old girls. They were trailed by their usual entourage of cousins. The most obvious identities were red-haired Jimmy and black-haired Johnny, as both had inherited their father's emerald eyes and myopia (hence the thick glasses) as well as the unruly hair. Behind them was little three year old Rosemary, whose eternal expression of utter amazement always made Harry think that, had he not actually watched her emerge from Ginny's body, he would have sworn she must have been Luna's daughter.

Rosemary was a bit of an anomaly, even for the Potter family. With three red-headed grandparents, she had little choice in her hair colour, but she had inherited her paternal grandfather's spiky hair style – Ginny had kept Rosemary's hair long to help smooth it down. It also appeared that she had inherited James' animagus nature (as a cat), although it hadn't developed fully yet. Ginny had noticed it first when she was nursing Rosemary, and heard and felt what she thought was purring. Rosemary was toilet-trained by the time she was six months old (practically unheard of) and her finger and toe-nails grew much more rapidly than those of the other children. When Hermione brought Crookshanks to visit at a time when Rosemary was only a year old, the toddler had hissed at him. One time when the girl was about one and a half, she came up to Ginny complaining "bum hurt!" – when Ginny took a look, she found a short furry tail (ginger coloured of course). Minerva McGonagall was consulted, and was helping train the little witch, so that she could better manage the transitions. It was inevitable that her nickname would be 'Kitten'.

Rosie and Marigold had been talking, and marched up to Harry looking as ferocious as two little red-heads could. Rosie asked in an angry voice "Uncle Harry, why do you want to jump on my Mummy?", while Mari said "And why does Aunt Miney want to jump on you?" Rosemary jumped up and down, laughing "Daddy jump! Aun' Miney jump! Jump, jump, jump!"

Harry responded in his time-tested way of answering women of all ages when he didn't have a clue what was going on. "What?"

Marigold responded "Mummy Pansy say you want to jump Aunt Hermione's bones." And Rosie shouted "And Tante Fleur says that 'ermione want to jump 'Arry!" closely mimicking her French-born aunt's speech. Harry sputtered and blushed profusely, while the assembled nursing women (who were clearly overhearing the interchange) all burst out laughing, causing some disturbance to their small temporary pectoral attachments.

Harry looked at his audience and tried to gauge how to phrase the answer that he was obviously required to provide. The ladies on the porch all leaned forward to hear him try to get out of this one, or to see what material they would soon have for future teasing.

He asked "Do you know what that means?"

Marigold shook her head, but Rosie said "That's when you want to hug someone really tight." Marigold looked at her cousin in shock, and asked "Mummy-Daddy hugs?" Rosie nodded "Yup!"

At the look of bewilderment on the faces of the younger cousins, Marigold turned to them and announced in a stage whisper (in the way of all big sisters demonstrating her vastly superior knowledge of the secrets of the world to her younger siblings) "That's when a mummy and daddy take a nap together, and you can tell that they are not sleeping. Sometimes, they are making babies!" If it were possible for Rosemary's eyes to have gotten wider, they would have.

The two girls spun around and looked at Harry. Marigold looked at her father and announced, "You can't give mummy-daddy hugs to Aunt Miney. She belongs to Uncle Ron!" Rosie was equally indignant "And Mummy can't hug you. You belong to Aunt Ginny and Aunt Pansy and Aunt Daphne and Aunt Tracey, not to my Mummy!"

Harry nodded vigorously. "You are absolutely correct! It would be very wrong for Hermione and me to give each other that kind of hugs."

Rosie looked at Harry and said, "But sometimes, when we come over and swim without our swimming suits, your pee-pee sticks up when you see my Mummy, and her points stick out when she sees you. That's what happens when Mummy and Daddy want to make babies!"

He lowered his voice, as if telling the girls a secret. "You know, Hermione and Ron are my oldest friends. I love them both, _as friends_. But you know Rosie, your mummy is a beautiful woman, and sometimes people's bodies don't think about right and wrong, and when I see your mummy, sometimes my body just thinks how beautiful she is. Apparently, she thinks I look good too."

"There are times when our bodies want to do something, and we know we shouldn't. Like when you are hungry, and want a cookie just before dinner. You know you shouldn't, but your body wants to. To go have a cookie would be the easy thing, but it would not be right."

"How you deal with your wants makes you the good person I know you both are, or can make you into a bad person if you always give in to your wants. We have brains to control what we do, but it can't always control what our bodies want. We are intelligent, good people and so we do what are brain tells us is good."

He looked at the two girls (and the crowd behind them), and asked "Is that okay with you?" The girls looked a little confused as if they had just gotten more information and a bigger lesson than they had been prepared for, and that they would have to do some serious thinking about it. Both nodded reluctantly.

Most of their cousins had, by this time, gone off to other things. Bruce (the house elf) and his eldest son Micky had set up a sprinkler on the lawn, and the children were running through it. Daphne looked over and conjured a couple of small rainclouds to provide extra opportunity for water games, given the large number of small people trying to run through a single sprinkler.

Harry went over to the porch, opened a cider, and muttered, "How the hell did I get myself into that?"

Hermione was sitting with the women she now referred to (following Ginny's invention) as her 'swisters-in-law'. She looked at Harry, batted her eyelashes at him, and asked "So now I'm a cookie?" The group all broke into laughter. Pansy said "I thought a girl on the side was 'a bit of crumpet'". Hermione straightened up and with mock dignity announced "I will have you know I am not 'a bit of crumpet'. Harry has declared I am a cookie!"

Ginny began giggling "You know, that furry blue monster on the telly who always wants cookies make much more sense to me now." There was much giggling among those who had been watching the television show with their offspring.

Harry smiled and looked at Pansy and Fleur. "Why did you tell the girls that?"

Both women shook their heads. Pansy said "Harry, you are so thick! Anyone with eyes can see that there is some unrequited lust between you two. Ginny is not entirely happy about it, but she knows that it was from before you and she got together, and that you both are so damned honourable that nothing would ever happen."

Hermione said in a quiet voice, "You know, Harry, that winter in the tent, you didn't try anything, ever. You didn't make any suggestive remarks, or compliment me on my body or anything except for my intellect - I have more to my body than just my brains. Even when we shared the bed, it was just to hug away nightmares, or for warmth in the cold. They say that nothing makes you more sexually hungry than being in fear for your life, and you never gave me any indication that you wanted me in that way. Harry, I really wanted you to love me, I was desperately lonely, but I didn't do anything about it because I was afraid it would scare you away. It really hurt my self-esteem as a young, healthy woman. For a while, I thought you must be gay, but you didn't seem to want Ron that way either." She laughed, but there was obvious pain behind the laugh.

Ron had come to terms (in his own mind) with Hermione's yearning for Harry during the winter on the run, partly because he had had no right or claim to her at the time, having abandoned the both of them, and he still carried the guilt for that act. But there had been much water under many bridges since then.

Harry sputtered and blushed at this evaluation of what he had hoped at the time had been honourable behaviour, not taking advantage of a friend in a stressful situation.

Ginny spoke up. "I think I can provide the reason for it, although it was really Luna who figured it out."

At this moment, the fireplace flared green, and the lady herself emerged. She smiled and asked "What are blaming me for, this time?" She looked around at the nursing mothers, and calmly removed her silk blouse and blue satin bra before sitting down. She looked at Harry and Ron, whose eyes looked about to pop from their heads, and remarked "This seems to be the dress code today." She waved her wand at her long hair, which formed itself into a long braid down her back, making it certain that her bare breasts remained visible.

Ron choked on his butterbeer.

Florie and a younger female elf appeared at Luna's side. "What would Missy Luna like?" Luna looked over at Harry, and said "What is it that you call the apple-flavoured mead you make?" Harry answered, "I use the old muggle name for it, cyser." Luna turned to Florie and said, "May I have some cyser, please? Chilled?"

Florie nodded and the two elves disappeared, reappearing together a moment later. The younger elf carefully presented Luna with a chilled glass of amber liquid. Luna thanked the elf and asked her name. Florie beamed with pride and said, "This is my daughter, Minnie. She is learning to serve, as is the way of our folk."

Hermione looked over at Harry and smiling, asked, "Are you paying Minnie properly?" Before Harry could answer, Florie said proudly, "No Missy Hermione, I am sub-contracting her! Master Harry insisted I pay her, so she gets a flower a month, which is one-quarter what I am paid."

Luna smiled at this exchange. She looked over the additional buildings and the extension to the swimming pool, which were obviously magically built. She then looked over the crowd of children playing on the lawn, and remarked (carefully timing her remark to the instant that Harry was going to swallow some of his cider), "Harry, I see your wand is getting a good workout." At this, Harry choked and spit cider all over the flowerbed. Ginny gave Luna a thumbs-up sign and whispered in a faked soft voice "Good one, Luna" as the other ladies laughed.

Luna grinned at Ginny and then asked, "What was the topic again?"

Ginny grinned at her husband and said "Your analysis of why Harry didn't hump Hermione in the tent." Both Hermione and Harry choked and blushed. Ginny grinned – she was always ready to pull a prank wherever and whenever she could.

Ron choked on his butterbeer.

The short blonde witch said, as if it was a trivial and obvious point, "Ah yes. That. It is actually quite simple."

Harry leaned forward "Luna, please explain. I thought I was trying to be a good person, and not hurt my friend. Actually, both my friends, because Ron and Hermione were sort of together, and then Ron left us, and Hermione was devastated. I didn't want to hurt her further."

Luna said "Harry, it goes deeper than that. Much deeper into who you are, or rather, who you were. It has to do with why you were so angry when people didn't believe you about the Goblet of Fire. It has to do with why you broke up with Ginny, after Dumbledore's funeral – you said to yourself, and to her, that it was to keep her safe while you carried out your mission, and that was certainly part of it."

"Harry, deep in your heart, in the innermost reaches of your mind, you were convinced that you were unworthy to be loved."

Other than Ginny (who had heard this before), the group gasped. Pansy thought it through, and nodded, biting her lower lip as she did so.

Harry looked shocked, angry and puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Luna smiled at him. "Harry, you have always been unaware of how good a person you were. You would have done anything, including dying yourself, to prevent hurting Hermione during that winter on the run. And we all love you for that. Take a thought about when you proposed to Ginny – you delayed the announcement so that you did not upstage Ron and Hermione. Your concern for your friends and loved ones touches everything you do."

"But one of your first memories was of your parents being killed by Voldemort, in order to protect you – you came to understand that they were killed _because_ of you. Your godfather was killed in a fight to prevent Voldemort from getting the prophecy, and you moped for months because you felt he was killed because of you. Your Aunt and Uncle kept telling you that you were a freak that no one could love, and that no one would be friend with – they told people you were going to a school for the criminally insane. The reason you broke up with Ginny, and you didn't want Hermione and Ron to come on the quest, was that you were convinced that everyone you loved got killed, because of you."

"You and Hermione could have made love in the tent, for mutual support and comfort as well as warmth. You could have been there for each other, and no one would have had anything to say against it. You couldn't do that, because you couldn't believe that she could love you, and that if you tried anything, she would object to your advances and leave, because you were unlovable. You needed her in the quest, and as apparently almost your only friend (not knowing that Neville and I were reactivating the DA back at Hogwarts), and you couldn't risk losing her by her rejecting you for what you thought you were."

"When Ron didn't believe you about entering the Tri-Wizard championship, you were furious, because you felt that he was only your friend because of your glory, and not for you."

"You hated the glory of being "The Boy-Who-Lived" because you had done nothing to achieve it, except watching the parents you loved getting murdered!"

"Harry, one of my greatest pleasures has been watching you grow out of this deep chasm since you killed old Moldy Shorts. With your wives and your friends, and your children, you have become comfortable with who you are. The good man that you has always been, the man who taught us 'Defence' against Umbridge and her hangers-on, who led us and fought beside us at the Department of Mysteries, who cried over each one of us who was hurt, who killed Voldemort and then cried over each and every one of our injured or dead schoolmates."

"Harry, we all love you, because of who you were and who you are now. You _are_ worthy to be loved."

Luna sipped her drink. Her eyes glazed over slightly, as was her normal expression when she thought deeply. Looking at the glass, she said "You know Harry, your cider and mead making projects, and your study of bees and butterflies, are the only things you have ever done in your entire life, purely because you wanted to do them, not for the benefit of others. You have given yourself the freedom to do them."

Harry sat stunned. "They are not. I play quidditch, and I married these wonderful women and have great kids."

Luna shook her head. "No. You started playing quidditch because McGonagall dragged you up to meet Oliver Wood, even if you found you like it and people respected you for your abilities. You got married because one, you had to by law, and two, Ginny and Pansy chased you down, and Pansy arranged for you and the girly-girls here" (she smiled at, and nodded in the direction of, Daphne and Tracey, who grinned at her description) "to get together. Again, you had kids because the law said you had to do so. I am not saying that you haven't enjoyed these things. But it was not purely, I say _purely_, because you wanted to."

Hermione quietly added, "Luna, you forgot that he tends to save the lives of girls that he hardly knows, like Ginny and Gabrielle." She lowered her eyes, and then looked at Harry with a grateful gaze, "And me!"

Luna considered Hermione's remark and said, "'Miney, my dear friend, I know that you are the beneficiary of Harry's 'saving-people-thing', as you call it, and that you are eternally grateful for it. Even devoted, as you and Ginny and Gabi all owe a life-debt to Harry because of it. But I don't think it is purely by his own volition. I believe that, in a way, it is a consequence of the life-debt _he_ owes his mother for saving his life from Voldemort. I suspect you will see this again. Sometimes life-debt magic is like that, particularly if there is no way you can repay it – sometimes the debt is paid by being passed on, through affecting the debtor's own future actions."

He thought through his life, and nodded, seeing it for the first time from Luna's perspective. It is easier to see things from outside than when you are in the middle of things.

Ginny spoke, "You know that one of the hardest things is a child's life is discovering that her parents are not the infallible gods that she believed, but flawed human beings with their own hopes and dreams and failings. When I was little, there were marvellous stories about 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' and how he saved our world and what wonderful powers he must have. Mum told me that, if I wanted to hard enough, I could marry this boy once I had grown up. I was basically instructed to fall in love with this demi-god, so I did. Then I met Harry. For the first year or so, I was stunned speechless being in the presence of this divine being. Then I slowly discovered that 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' didn't exist. There was this underfed, scared and scarred boy who was bewildered at why he was famous when all he had done was watch his mother get murdered. Mum had told me lies, or at least tall tales – maybe she wanted to believe the dream herself. Then Ron told me of how Harry had insisted they find Hermione and warn her about the troll, and ended up saving her from it. The next year he saved me, not because I was this ravishing creature that I am today, but because I was his best friends little sister, I was possessed by his eternal enemy, and it was the right thing to do. The next year, when Harry was forced to risk his life in the Tournament, he went out of his way to save Gabrielle. I getting to know the 'Boy-Who-Was', and I began to fall in love with the reality, not the fiction. And look what trouble that got me into" as she looked lovingly at the infants now sleeping in her arms.

Luna then smiled at the group, and directed her gaze at Harry and fluttered her eyelids at him in an exaggerated way. She spoke in as seductive a voice as she could manage, with a little of the dreamy quality she always had, but with a bit of a prankster's smirk, "Harry, if you have room in your harem, and you can persuade these witches to agree to it, I _am_ still available. You are worthy to be loved. And I would very much like to be part of your family."

Ginny looked over at Luna. "But you are part of our family."

Luna looked back at Ginny and shook her head. "Unfortunately, that's not really true. Ginny, you grew up in a large family, so you may not feel the difference. Since my Dad died, I have been alone. Remember, I can _see_ the flow of emotion; that's why I have my job as a high-level negotiator. I look at you mothers nursing your babies, and I can see the flow of love and commitment. I look at the children playing, and I can see the love and shear 'belonging' flowing between you and them, and between them. I see muggles, and the love is certainly there, but it is so much less intense than when magic is part of the mix. And I don't have that. I want it. I am hungry for it. I am desperate for it. And having a shot at playing bedspring-bouncy with Harry doesn't sound too bad either."

"Yes, I am the unrelated Aunt to the children. But I am not really part of the family. When the party or the picnic is over, I go home. When work is done, I return to my flat in Brussels, alone. I don't have a child coming into my bed to have the fears hugged away when there is a thunderstorm. I even envy you changing dirty nappies, because the baby whose nappy you are changing is a product of your love and commitment."

"I want to be part of that love and commitment. I am willing to make that commitment. So I am formally requesting to join your family. Here, I will even use the same application form that Pansy used." She stood up, hiked her skirt up, took down her blue satin knickers (being rather exposed both top and bottom until she smoothed down her skirt again), and handed them to Harry. She stated formally "I am hereby applying for the role as a concubine in the Ancient and Noble House of Potter."

Ron choked on his butterbeer.

Harry smiled and then looked over at his wives, but particularly Ginny and Pansy. "Luna, I don't mean this as an insult to you that I do not answer directly. I am very much inclined to accept this application for a position on my staff. However, as you know, Lady Potter and Lady Black have veto power over all such critical decisions affecting the family. Okay, ladies, what do you think?"

Ginny looked at Harry, and then at Luna. She thought of how Luna had been her best friend ever since primary school, and had been one of the most ardent supporters in the DA, and a valiant fighter in the battle of the department of Mysteries, as well as at Hogwarts. (At one point, Ginny had jokingly suggested to Luna that she would make a great Valkyrie. Luna took on the dreamy look she got when she was reminiscing, and said that she had looked into it, being just tall enough to meet the height requirements, but that they also required their recruits to remain virgins, so she had lost interest in that career path. Having grown up with the twins, Ginny suspected that Luna was pulling a prank, but with Luna, you just never knew.) After Luna's mother had died in the tragic laboratory accident, Molly Weasley had sort of taken over as a maternal figure for Luna, taking her shopping (at WarlockMart) with Ginny for their first bras and supplies of tampons, and the little blonde witch was as close to a sister as Ginny had.

Luna was at least as brilliant as Hermione (although not in the aspects of book-learning, which had gained Hermione praise, while Luna's brilliance was just considered strange being of a different nature). Part of Ginny didn't want to share Harry more than she was already doing, but she also loved her friend. She looked at Harry, smiled and nodded.

Pansy said laughed at Harry's phrasing and Luna's method of applying for the job, and then with a smirk she looked Luna up and down, like she was buying livestock, "Well Harry, you know you don't have any concubines for the House of Potter yet. The law people say you need to do so. Seems like a good candidate. Looks young, fit, pretty, smart. Agreed."

Harry smiled at Luna. "I guess this is another one of my non-choice choices. Luna, there are some formalities and ceremonies to go through, but welcome to the family."

Luna smiled and said "And then I can jump your bones?" The children playing on the lawn looked over at their elders laughing on the porch. All was well, and Luna could see a wave of contentment spreading over the property.


	7. The Unhealable Hurts

**The Unhealable Hurts**

Harry was just taking off his quidditch gear, expecting a nice hot shower after a home game in the cold Scottish rain, when the floo connection in the team office flared green. Ginny's voice called to the team's manager "Harry Potter, right now!"

The manager ran into the locker room and got Harry, who wrapped a towel around himself, and headed into the office. He announced "Harry Potter here."

Ginny sobbed "Harry get down to St Mungo's as fast as you came. Ron's hurt. Bad! Hurry!"

As the need for haste, and the use of the family codeword 'Bad' indicating that the injuries might be life threatening but not requiring readiness for battle, Harry cast some cleaning spells to get rid of the sweat and dirt, dressed quickly, and floo'd to St Mungo's. He was immediately taken into the emergency ward where he was instantly wrapped in hugs by his crying sister-in-law and 'first' wife. This was almost instantly followed by a hug from his 'first' mother-in-law, who was also crying her eyes out. He looked around the room, and to his surprise met the eyes of Poppy Pomfrey who was bent over a body on the gurney; she also had tears in her eyes and looked very worried.

Adopted his usual stunned expression when wrapped in crying women (a fairly common occurrence given his four wives), Harry asked "Would someone please tell me what's going on?"

Arthur Weasley shook Harry's hand, as assorted other Weasley brothers and their wives were entering the room from the hall. "Ron and the rest of the Cannons were just coming off the field into their locker room. There was an explosion. Three of the team were killed outright, and Ron has lost a leg and the healers say there are other severe injuries to his lower body. They called in Madame Pomfrey, as she has extensive experience with quidditch injuries, and is familiar with Ron as a patient. She is actually one of England and Scotland's leading experts on sports injuries."

"Harry, they don't know whether Ron is going to survive. If he does, he may never walk again."

At this point, a team of Aurors arrived, and to the surprise of both Arthur and Harry, they were accompanied by Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister of Magic.

Their old friend, ex-Auror and member of the Order of the Phoenix called the two of them, Hermione and Molly to the side and said, "Our preliminary investigation indicates that someone placed an exploding device in the Cannon's locker room, which had hexes on it to maximize the damage, and there were some dark curses to prevent wounds from healing. Nasty piece of work. We are calling in our best curse-breakers to help block those effects. If you would rather Bill does the work on Ron, I'm okay with that. He's the best we have in the country, but if it's too much for him because it's his brother, we have all the help Ron might need. Now, let's get out of this room, and let the healers do their magic. Meanwhile, I am having Auror Inspector Jordan (I think you know Lee from school, he was a good friend of George and Fred) have his best investigators on this. I'll let you know as soon as we find anything." Shaking hands all round, he left the hospital and the grief-stricken family.

After a couple of hours, the healers' team leader, Healer Southern, came out into the waiting room to the assembled witches and wizards. She said "the good news is that we have him stabilized, and he will live. It will be some time before we can start reconstructive work, and there are some lingering effects of the curses which we may not be able to overcome, but we will do our best."

Hermione looked at the healer and asked "Healer Southern, you said that's the good news. I have to ask, and please give me a straight answer. My husband is badly hurt, this I know. He will live, this is the good news. What is the bad news?"

The healer looked at her, with tears forming in her own eyes, "Mrs Weasley, your husband's right hip and leg were blown off by the explosion. This also removed his penis and testicles, as well as about a third of his lower intestine. The curse appears to be inhibiting healing in these areas. Whoever did this wanted the damage to be permanent. We will do our best."

Hermione's legs seemed to give way, and she crumpled to the ground weeping. Ginny and Harry sat down on the floor, and wrapped their arms around her as she cried.

Hermione looked up at her mother-in-law and asked "Molly, can you look after the kids for a few days? I don't think I can. Arthur, can you call my office at the Ministry and tell them I won't be in for a while?" Both nodded at the requests.

The bushy-haired witch looked at Ginny and Harry. "Can I come home with you and stay tonight?" Both agreed instantly, and knew that neither of them was going to get much sleep as they comforted their friend and sister. Hermione tried to say thanks, but could not get the words out.

They asked the hospital staff to let them know instantly as soon as there was any development.

When they arrived at Potter Manor, Harry rapidly filled Pansy in on the situation. She sent an owl to Tracey and Daphne, to keep them in the loop, and then conferred with the house elves to set up a room for Hermione.

Meanwhile, Harry sat in the main room on the couch, holding Hermione as she wept in the arms of her best friend. Ginny added her hugs, but Hermione seemed to want Harry's arms more.

Pansy's native paranoia raised a warning flag in the back of her mind. She said to Ginny, "Something stinks about this. Really stinks. I sense that someone was trying to destroy the Cannon's and possibly Ron in particular. If so, they may want to discredit anyone around them. You've seen enough of the crap Harry has gone through to know they might be also trying to go after Harry through the people he loves."

Harry looked up from the weeping witch, and nodded. He said "Pansy, I think you're right. Paranoia is just good policy when people hate you. As our old DADA prof used to say, 'Constant Vigilance'. The last few years, I have been getting complacent because things have been good, maybe too good. Sometimes, I can forget that there are still people out there who don't like me much. What do you suggest?"

Pansy thought for a moment. "Now, if I was trying to discredit you, and wanted to drive a wedge between you and wizarding society, and moreover to discredit Hermione and her office's attempts to change a number of unfair laws, I would be delighted if your best friend got hurt (particularly with the injuries you mentioned) and the first thing his wife did was run to your arms and your bed."

"Tell you what. We don't put Hermione to bed. You stay with her on the couch, holding her. If necessary, sleep there holding her."

Harry looked at his wife, "and that would help, how?"

Pansy smiled with the nastiest Slytherin grin that Harry had seen in years. "We will set up a video camera, and record the fact that all you did was hold her as she cried, and maybe slept. The record would have the date and time on it. We will need to record some irrefutable evidence of the actual time and date, like the signal from a Wizarding Wireless program or television (we have those old muggle devices somewhere). If anyone claims that anything more happened between you and her, we would have unanswerable evidence. Also, the fact that someone would make such a claim would be direct evidence that they were involved in the plot – it also shows them up for trying to take political advantage of a family tragedy."

To Ginny's evident surprise at Pansy's suggestion that this was part of a conspiracy, Harry grinned at Pansy, and said "My nasty cunning wife, I love the way you think!" Please set it up as fast as you can. I hate to say it, but you're right, we need to have hard evidence. Pansy, before you have a chance to feel hurt by what I just said, I do not hate the fact that you are right, I hate the fact that what you are right about is that someone is trying to hurt people I love - that is something I do not forgive."

The plan was put into play, and the video camera was set up showing Harry holding his desolated best friend weeping in his arms for hours, until she fell asleep exhausted. The recording continued showing Harry holding the sleeping witch, and periodically checking his watch and announcing the time. As the dawn light brightened the room, the recording continued, finally showing little Marigold coming and asking her father why Aunt 'Miney' was sleeping on their couch in her father's arms, and he told her that Uncle Ron was hurt, and she really needed a hug. Marigold looked at him, and asked "All night?" and he said, "Yes love, all night."

The little 5 ½ year-old girl put on her fierce face and jammed her hands on her hips, looking sternly at her father "If it was all night, did you give her a mummy-daddy hug?" Harry said "No, Mari-Lily, Aunt Hermione is not my wife. She is like my sister. I gave her a family hug." Marigold said "A brother-sister hug, or a Granny Molly hug? When Granny Molly hugs me, I can't breathe." Harry smiled and said "Me either. No, it was a brother-sister hug."

The little girl nodded (propriety was maintained, so she was content) and said "Okay, I'm going to have a cookie, okay?" Harry smiled and said, "Okay, but just one. Your mommies will be down soon to make us all breakfast", as he tried to keep himself from burdening a little girl with grownup heartaches.

Later that day, Pansy made several copies of the recording, and sent them by owl to Lee Jordan at the Aurors' headquarters, with a note saying why they had made the recording.

After Ginny and Pansy came downstairs from their bedrooms to assume Hermione-sitting duties, and Harry went up for a short nap, the family floo'd over to the Weasleys to see if there was any more news, and then Hermione, Ginny and Harry floo'd to St Mungo's to check on Ron's condition.

They found an exhausted Poppy Pomfrey sitting having a coffee, and crying. Hermione of course feared the worst, and ran up to the older witch. She grabbed Pomfrey by the shoulders and said quietly "Tell me!" Poppy surprised Hermione with a strong hug (the healer had never hugged the younger witch before, even with all the trials and tribulations they had been through) and Poppy said through her tears "I'm sorry, I am just so tired, I have been up all night working on him and I hate to see my kids hurt. You three always seemed to need more of my attention than any other students I ever had in my care. He's going to be better. We can fit a prosthesis for his leg, and with a special saddle he may be able to fly and maybe even play quidditch again."

"But Hermione, I am sorry to say, you and he won't be able to have any more children. Between the damage and the curse, and the magic related to the integrity of the Life Force, we can't fix that. I know you and he wanted more, but I'm so sorry." She broke down in tears again, and now Hermione was comforting the older woman while she cried herself.

Three days later, Lee Jordan sent an owl to Hermione asking if she and Harry could meet with him and his investigative team. They set up a meeting for that afternoon. When they arrived in his office, Lee explained that there were some issues that both might be interested in, and Hermione's interest might be both personal and professional as an officer in the legal research department. He knew of her efforts for eliminate the unfairness in a lot of the wizarding laws, and he and his superiors supported them whole-heartedly.

Lee said "we have found the person who planted the bomb, and we have a very solid case against him and a couple accomplices, but we think there is a larger conspiracy behind it. We haven't got the evidence for that, as they seem to have covered their trail well, and we think the perpetrators may be highly placed people in wizarding society, so we have to have our stuff really solid. We think there is money exchanged which would tied them together, but the evidence would have to come from Gringott's, and the goblins are not keen to release any information about their dealings. The relations between the goblins and the Ministry have not really recovered from the Voldemort days, and those little buggers have very long memories. Now Harry, you have some rather special relations with the Gringott's staff, so we are asking for your help."

"We are willing to be patient on this one, as I get the sense that this might be some old pure-blood business, some old families trying to keep their hands on the reins of power. I know you two have been involved in trying to remove the old bigotries from our laws, and you are making some powerful enemies. We need to be careful, but we want to get these people, and clean out the garbage."

Hermione asked, "What is going to happen to the people who hurt Ron?"

Lee said, "Well, we have them cold on murder of Ron's teammates. We have enough evidence for both murder and unforgivable curse-use to convict them. Both are capital offences, and the major players will be executed by sending them through the Veil, and those less directly responsible will be sentenced to the Dementor's kiss, or at the very least, a very long prison sentence. The one who actually planted the bomb, one Michael Groffle, is definitely going through the Veil, and right now he is very carefully not talking about who else was involved."

"That's the basic law. By the way, Mr Groffle has a wife and four children, a son and three daughters."

"Several different statutes are involved, and some have some odd provisions, and rather archaic punishments which could be invoked. However, the last bit is the real corker. According to one of the laws involved, if a pureblood wizard is injured in such a way as his 'procreative powers and rights are denied him' (that is, if he is made sterile and impotent), the person causing the injury is to be executed, and (interesting wording) 'their bloodline is to be terminated', and his or her property confiscated and given to the injured party."

Harry furrowed his brow, "What does that mean?"

Hermione looked disgusted, and said "It means that his wife and children are to be killed too! During the Roman Empire and in feudal Japan, this was a common punishment. There was a case in Rome where Lucius Sejanus was supposedly conspiring against the Emperor Tiberius, and he and his whole family were executed – there was no law allowing for the execution of a virgin, so his daughter was raped, and then killed!"

"Harry, this is just so wrong! The wife and children are likely innocent of the crime. They are being punished for a crime where they have no guilt, and they are being treated as chattels to be confiscated and disposed off. Harry, we have to do something about this!" Harry looked at Hermione, and nodded. They now had a cause where Harry could put his fortune and power to correcting something in the wizarding world that needed to be fixed. This was his kind of task.

Lee Jordan interrupted Hermione's diatribe. "By the way, there are several caveats to this law. For instance, if the injury took place as part of a legal duel, or as a result of stopping a crime, then there was no punishment to the one injuring the wizard, as it was seen that he was in the wrong. If the injury was by a witch, either in prevention of or retaliation for (using the law's wording) 'aggressive and unwanted attention', that is, rape or attempted rape, there is no punishment for the injury, and the injured wizard must also pay reparations of 10 thousand galleons."

"Also, if the husband divorces his wife and disowns the children, before sentence is past, they would not be executed. However, unless some other wizard immediately marries the witch, she and the children would be destitute as the law requires all property to remain in the hands of the husband who is, presumably, divorcing the wife for violating the marriage contract. According to our records, this provision has never been used."

"Another interesting feature is that if the injured party and his wife wish to have additional children, the wife is to 'lie' with a brother of the husband, so that the bloodline remains intact and pure. I am sorry, Hermione, but this bit applies to you. I think it is adding insult to injury, but there it is."

Hermione was shocked by the implications of this law. She thought about the situation for a bit, and then scowled as she exclaimed, "Lee, Harry, have you noticed that this law makes no provision for penalties if it is the witch that is injured and it is her fertility that is damaged! Or, for that matter, if it is a half-blood or muggleborn. I guess if I was hurt like that, I'd be on my own with no legal recourse, two different ways."

Lee looked pensive. "You know, Hermione, most people would expect you to be the first in line to want revenge here. It is your husband who was injured, and your 'marital rights' that were 'denied'."

Hermione looked thoughtful and said "If I went after cases of injustice only when my own interests were not affected, then I would be a hypocrite, and people would ignore my efforts. They should ignore my effects. Lee, Harry, you can't think that I would do that. What kind of a girl do you think I am?"

Harry laughed, which puzzled Hermione. He smiled at her and said, "You know, my friend, you are probably the only woman in the world who has ever used that phrase in this context!"

Hermione thought about what she had said, and giggled a bit. "You're right, that is a bit out of place, isn't it."

Mrs Groffle looked at Harry with a determined look in her tear-reddened eyes, touched with a lot of pain as well. She said, "Lord Potter, Lady Potter, Mrs Weasley, I do appreciate what you are trying to do, really. But I must refuse."

"Lord Potter, I am touched by your offer. However, under wizarding law, I cannot divorce my husband, as he is a pure-blood and that restricts my actions. I _will_ not ask him to divorce me and disown my children."

"You both were raised by muggles, so I don't expect you to understand. My family has lived and died by our code of honour for centuries. We were and are a poor family, but we are pureblood, and proud of its code and its obligations. On my wedding day, I promised my husband that wherever he went, I would go. If that means I follow him into death, then that is just the way it is. I raised my son to be aware of his family's honour, and even if his father has disgraced the family, he can regain his honour by going into death standing upright. I swear on my magic that none of my children, nor myself, knew of what my husband was planning or doing, but that doesn't matter under the law. I and my children will join him in death, as our honour requires. I do not want my children to die, what mother would, but our honour demands it. If you know of any other way which preserves our family's honour, I would be pleased to hear it."

Hermione looked at Mrs Groffle, with tears in her eyes. She said "Madame, I am sorry that you misunderstand me. I understand your code of honour and I respect it and you. I am very impressed by your courage and firm stand on what you believe. However, I do not agree with it. I cannot agree with a code where the children, innocent children, can be punished, or in this case put to death, for the crimes of the father. I do not, I cannot, agree that guilt can be inherited."

Edna Groffle smiled sadly, "Mrs Weasley, if a child is entitled to inherit the good of the family, why should they not inherit the bad as well as the good?"

Harry interrupted. "I am sorry to interrupt this philosophical discussion, but we have important matters to deal with."

Edna Groffle looked at him in astonishment. "Lord Potter, this _is_ critically important! It is in the extreme moments of life when your philosophy matters the most, because it is only then that you find what it is that you truly believe, and what you are prepared to live or die for. It is more important than my own life. I would have thought that as a valiant warrior, you would know this!"

"However, back to the matters at immediate hand. You wish to save my children from death. I see no way for you to spare my son in a way where his honour is preserved, but I think I see how you can spare my girls. If you take my daughters in marriage as concubines before the sentence is passed, then under the law they are no longer of my family or my husband's family, but they belong to you, and they will not be subject to the execution."

Harry gulped, looking at the three sandy-blonde girls. They looked as if the eldest was nine years old, and the youngest was five. They looked frightened. He said, "I'm sorry, I can't marry little children. That would be abuse, and a stain on my own honour."

Mrs Groffle swallowed hard, and said "I understand. Then they will die with us."

Harry was shocked, but realized that there was only one solution. "Okay, I agree. I will marry them as my concubines, but I keep them safe and will not take them as wives. I will not abuse children, and that's what they are at the moment."

Edna Groffle's face turned red. "No! Lord Potter, if you take them in marriage but do not treat them as true wives, then the marriages are frauds, and will be seen by the whole wizarding world as dishonourable and only exist as ways to cheat the law. I would rather they die with their father and me, than be parties to dishonour and fraud. If I agree to their marriage to you, you must agree to take them to your bed and consummate the marriages! You will have children by them! Either that, or they come into death with us, honourably!"

Harry was caught. Hermione and Ginny were looking at him in shock. As they saw it, he either abused three little girls, or sent them to their deaths. Then Harry smiled as an idea came into his head.

"Mrs Groffle, I must confer with my wives as it will affect them and their children as well, but if they agree to my plan, I will do as you ask." Ginny looked as if she was going to break into tears, while Hermione's face turned bright red and she was about to scream, when he held up his hand to her to stop her tirade and continued, "I will take them to my bed and I will consummate the marriages. I will do my duty to them as their husband." Ginny looked shocked at this statement, but then Harry continued. "However, I will consummate the marriages _only_ when they are of age and can agree to it themselves, without coercion, on any part, in any way. Until then, I shall take them to my bed as I have agreed, and while they are there I will read them stories from Beadle the Bard, and Anderson, and Hoffman and others, while they drink warm milk and eat cookies, as befits their age. I will honour their commitments to me _at the right time_, and until then, I will honour their childhood as should be their right. Do you agree to this arrangement?"

Edna Groffle burst into tears, while Ginny nodded her head with respect for Harry's solution to the issue. Mrs Groffle said "Thank you, my lord, for agreeing to this demand. Their honour and mine are satisfied by this arrangement."

Harry went to the office floo, and called for Pansy, Daphne and Tracey. After a short discussion, they agreed to his plan. Pansy thought about it for a moment longer than the others, and demanded "Harry, make very sure that those conditions are explicitly stated in the marriage contract documents, and that copies are sent to suitable authorities. I can see someone trying to use this to discredit you. I can see the headline in the Prophet – 'The so-called honourable Harry Potter is going to be a pedophile!' Be careful on this one. But yes, I agree."

A notary wizard was called into the room, and the papers were drawn up in accordance to the terms agreed. Mr. Groffle was brought into the meeting room, had the agreement explained to him (to which he agreed, sadly), and to sign the papers. He was then returned to his holding cell. Then Mrs Groffle added on further term. "Lord Potter, I insist that you must bring my daughters to witness my execution."

The others in the room were all stunned by this. Harry asked, "May I ask why you want them there?

Mrs Groffle said quietly "So that they can see that their mother died with honour!" Harry nodded, and Ginny and Hermione burst into tears.

The three girls were brought into the room, and Mrs Groffle explained to them that sometimes, families would arrange for marriages with other families. She pointed out that both of their pairs of grandparents had been married by a family-arranged contract, and so had their uncle David. She also told them that, for some great and powerful wizards, they would have a number of wives, which were called concubines if they were not his first wife.

She then told them that their father has done something very bad, and the law required that he die for this crime. As she started crying, she told them the law demanded that she and their brother Rickie would also have to die because of their father's crime. She pointed out that she and their father had agreed with the great wizard, Harry Potter, that he would marry all three of them, and that as of now, they were his concubine-wives. She pointed out that, because they were now married, they did not have to die with their parents. They would now be going to live with Harry and his family.

She then introduced them to Harry. The eldest, Elizabeth, was just nine years old, with long blonde hair. The middle girl Katherine (called Kitty) had her hair cut short, and was seven, and missing her front baby teeth. Five year old Lydia had shoulder length hair.

Lydia started crying and hugged her mother, saying "I don't want to be a porcupine."

It's hard to smile when you're crying.

Kitty looked at Harry, then at Ginny and Hermione and asked "Are you Harry's concubines too?" Ginny said "I am called Ginevra, Lady Potter, because I was Harry's first wife in the House of Potter. You are going to be a sister to me, and you can call me Ginny." Hermione knelt down and shook Kitty's hand "My name is Hermione. I am married to Ginny's brother."

Elizabeth looked puzzled "You are married to the man my daddy hurt. Why are you trying to help us?" Hermione looked the girl in the eyes, and said "Because just as your family's honour requires your mother and brother to go with your father, my honour requires that I try to protect innocent children from unfair laws." Elizabeth nodded, as she recognised that honour can make you do things that don't always make sense to everyone.

Elizabeth looked at Harry with a worried look on her face, and then at her mother. "Mummy, do I have to do that grown-up thing that you and Daddy do? I don't think I'm ready yet. I'm still a little girl!"

Harry sat down, so he could look them in the eyes at their own level. He said "Elizabeth, that is an excellent and very wise question. I am happy that I am married to such a clever witch. Elizabeth, Kitty and Lydia, your mother and I have agreed that none of you will have to do the grown-up thing, as you call it, until you are all grown up and ready. When you are seventeen years old or more, and then when you decide that you are ready. Only then. You are now my wives, and I will protect you and love you as you deserve. But you are also little girls who deserve to grow up as carefree as little girls should. I will do my best to let you grow up, protected and loved by me and the rest of my family."

"You see, there is a law saying that, because I am the only one left in two important families, I need to have a whole bunch of wives. I have four other wives as well, besides Ginny and now you three. They are named Pansy, Luna, Tracey and Daphne. They will be like your big sisters. We also have children who are your own ages. You're going to be part of a big family, and I sincerely hope you will be happy with us all."

Although not happy, the girls seemed to be content with the arrangements, as at least Elizabeth recognised that if their parents had not agreed to this deal, they would all have to die shortly.

Two weeks later, Harry and all eight of his wives sat and, as they cried, watched Edna Groffle, holding her son's hand with tears in her eyes, walk into the Veil with her back straight and her head held high. Just before her departure, she came over to Harry kissed him on the cheek, whispering "Thank you for saving my little girls."


	8. Challenges and Resolutions

**Challenges and Resolutions**

A few months later, Hermione was sitting with her beautiful French Veela sister-in-law Fleur and her even more gorgeous sister Gabrielle outside Shell Cottage on the Cornwall coast. As they relaxed in the summer sunshine, sipping some white wine from Fleur's family's vineyard, they watched Ron trying out his new broom saddle, and starting to learn to fly again. He was trying flying with his new prosthetic leg, and without it, trying to find his altered balance. He was still having trouble walking with the new leg, and was often very frustrated. Some days he became extremely depressed, and Hermione had Harry and some of Ron's teammates come to their apartment and talk quidditch strategy, trying to show him that his days as a first string professional Keeper might be over, but his abilities to plan team manoeuvres were still as sharp as ever.

Ron's brother Bill was flying with him, suggesting slight adjustments to his positions, and generally encouraging him. Sometimes, Ron would work at it for hours, and then land, throwing his broom away and flopping down on the sand crying. Hermione would go sit beside him, holding his head, or his hand, or lying beside him just cuddling him as he cried.

Ron was coming to terms with the facts that he had pains that were never going to go away, and that he would have to wear two discrete bags for the rest of his life. He worried that he might become addicted to the pain-killing potions, and even more worried that he wouldn't care. He was no longer the happy man he had been.

This day, the light seemed to have come back into Ron's eyes. He sat on his broom comfortably, and flew with authority. He dove and swirled. Hermione was sitting with her beautiful blonde sisters-in-law weeping with joy at this turn of events.

Fleur reached over to hold the bushy-haired witch's hand. She said "I am so glad to see Ron fly again. We were so worry about 'im. I know of men who cannot live wit' such injury, feeling zat they are not a full man, and zat their wife is cheated by this. Some men have kill zemselves because of it."

"'Ermione, ma chere pauvre bellesoeur, you must keep loving him as you do, not just for him but for you too. You must make him know zat he is the man you are marry to, even with ze injury so severe. Zat is only one part of him, zat you love all of him. You love ze man with ze big laugh, and ze huge appetite, no? He has a bad hurt, yes, but he is still our Ron. Our brother, your husband."

"What Bill calls 'ze one-eyed trouser snake', it is only one part of a man. We women love wis our whole body, and on Ron, zere are many parts with no injury, n'est pas? You need him to know zat."

"And, 'Ermione, I know you do not wish to sink of such sings, but Bill and I have discuss. We know ze laws about such sings; perhaps a stupid law, but it is ze law. If there is anysing we can do to help, and I mean 'anysing', you have but to ask. We are your family, and family helps each ozer."

Hermione realized that Fleur had just offered Bill as a father for her additional children, should she and Ron want them.

Through her new tears, she asked Fleur "How did you get so wise and so kind?"

Fleur looked at her sister who was sitting smiling, and then back to Hermione, and said "Ma chere 'Ermione, I and my little sister with, how you say, 'ze big boobies', we are Veela. Ze ways of love, and ze sharing of love in all its ways, zat is our life-blood. You are our sister and our family. What is mine is yours. Whezer it is my wine, my house, or my husband. It is yours, if and when you need it. All you have to do is say ze word."

"But we must be careful – if you or I bring it up before he does, it may be what you call 'the last straw' for Ron. He may bring it up, feeling zat you wish it and wanting to fulfill your wishes, but in his mind, he is telling himself zat he is a failure as a man. Ze male ego is a fragile sing."

Fleur hesitated, and then said "'Ermione, I need to speak with your about the laws you wish to have change. I sink you need to realize zat it is not just a matter of ze old families holding onto power. Ze laws come from a different time and a different system. You and 'arry were raised in ze middle class, no? Your parents, zey buy a 'ouse, zey move in, zey live zere a while, zey move to a new 'ouse, no?"

"Ze 'High' families, what you call ze 'Ancient and Noble 'ouses', zey sink on a different time scale and in a different way. Zey do not own ze 'ouse, ze _'ouse_ owns zem. For example, I was born in ze same house as my great-grandfazer. When ze old families are set up, life was short, most children did not survive to have five years of age. Most were dead before ze time zey had forty-five years. Ze individual was temporary, ze family was eternal. Property, 'eritage, even our materiel _genetique_, it belonged to ze family, not to us alone."

This reminded Hermione that, as soon as she agreed to marry Ron, by law she was bound to the family as much as any house elf. Even if Ron had died, she was a member of the Weasley family for now and forever, regardless of what her own wishes might be – even as a widow, she would have no choice in the matter.

"Ze people who are against you, ze are not just sinking of zeir own power. Zey are sinking of the rights of zeir grandfazer, and zeir grandson. If zey die in battle, but ze family survives, or ze family honour is up'eld, zey consider it success. Ze mozer who died, and you and 'arry saved 'er daughters, she sought like zis."

""ermione, if you are to succeed, and I hope you do because zere are many injustices in ze laws, you must know zis. If you are to take away ze power or ze rights of ze person 'imself, zer will not be ze problem. But if you try to take from ze family, you will have ze fight on your 'ands."

"For example, for ze laws zat protect ze 'igh-born wizard only, you could expand to protect all. Zis is not taking ze protection away from one, just adding it for ozers. But ze law zat punished ze family of ze man who hurt Ron, zat has to do wis family vengeance as it affects the entire 'eritage of ze family – for zat, you can expect a fight."

"'owever, I have a suggestion as to how to word ze changes."

"Also, ma chere bellesoeur, we 'ave anozer problem. As you know, ma petite soeur Gabrielle 'as a life-debt to 'arry. We need to convince 'im to marry 'er. Or razer, convince our Ginny. I sink sat she is starting to feel zat zere are too many competition for 'arry's love, n'est pas? One sing about being Veela wis a life-debt, if she does not marry 'arry, she cannot marry at all. Being Catholique, zere is anozer option, but we Veela, we make the lousy nuns.

Harry sat down on the settee on the veranda overlooking the gardens. His eldest daughter stood before him with tears in her eyes. She looked angry, and hurt, and frightened.

Harry held out his arms to hug away her hurt. She refused to come to him. He asked "What's wrong, Punkin?"

Marigold said "Daddy, don't you love me anymore?"

Harry was stunned. "Where did you get that terrible idea from?"

The little witch said "Some of the girls at school are saying that you brought the other little girls into the family because you didn't like me anymore. They are saying you plan to do mummy-daddy things with them, because I won't, and some are saying you are going to do it to them, and then you are going to do it to me. They say you married more witches because I wasn't a baby anymore, and you wanted more babies to love because I got too old."

Harry was shocked. "That's not true, Mari. They are lying to you, my love. I don't know who is telling them these things, but someone is trying to hurt our family. I will never stop loving you. Even when I am old and you are a grown-up woman with grandchildren of your own, you will still be my little girl."

"I know that most families have one mummy and one daddy. Most of your friends are in families like that."

"You know that we have rules in the family. The outside world call their rules 'the laws'. There is a law saying, because my mummy and daddy were killed, and my godfather was killed but named me to inherit his family, I am the daddy of two families. I know this is not the way with most of your playmates. "

"You know there was a war, and a lot of people died. There is another law that says that, as the daddy of two families, I have to have as many babies as I can, and I need the help of a lot of mummies to do this. You know how long it took your mother to have Rosemary and Morris and how long it took Mummy Pansy to have Tammy and Maddy. It's a lot of work for a mummy to have a baby. It wouldn't be good to make one mummy have all the babies. That doesn't mean I love you any less!"

"You know that Uncle Ron was hurt very badly. The law said that the bad man who hurt him had to be killed to punish him for doing it. The law also said that his wife and children had to die too." Marigold's eyes widened in shock and horror at this news. She had not been told this part of it.

"Your Aunt Hermione and I wanted to save the children, because they were not the ones who did the bad thing to Uncle Ron. They were innocent. I couldn't save the son, although I wanted to do so, really badly. The only way we could save the lives of the girls was for me to marry them. Their mummy insisted that if I was going to marry them, I had to be a good husband and give them mummy-daddy hugs and have babies with them."

Marigold looked angry "But Daddy, that is wrong!" Harry nodded "You are absolutely right. It is wrong to do mummy-daddy things with little girls, or little boys. It is very wrong, and anyone who does that is a very bad person. I said no – I will not be a bad person like that. Their mummy said that in that case, they would die with her and her husband, and their son. Then I said that I would be a proper husband, but _only_ once they were all grown-up women, and only if they agreed to it."

"And my dear daughter, anyone who does mummy-daddy things with their daughter or son is an extremely bad person."

"Mari, I know I am not a perfect person. I know I am not a perfect daddy. Some powerful wizards start believing they are perfect and start doing very bad things. They were hurting people and killing people. They made Uncle Neville's mummy and daddy go crazy. I had to fight a bunch of them and kill a lot of them. I hope I never become a bad person like them, but I cannot promise. I can only promise that I will try very hard not to be bad and to be the best daddy you could ever want."

"Marigold, I want you to promise me that, if I ever become a bad person like that, or try to do mummy-daddy things to you or your sisters or brothers, you will get them together with all your mummies, and you are to kill me! If I do these things, I would not deserve to be your daddy, and I would deserve to die. Do you understand? You have to do the right thing, even if it not easy."

The little witch was shocked that her father had just demanded that she kill him, but saw that, if he was that bad a man, it was the right thing to do. She nodded, and then jumped into his arms for a hug to seal the deal.

Marigold looked up at Harry's face. "What do I call Betty and Kitty and Lydia? You married them, so are they my mummies too? Kitty is just as old as I am, how can she be my mummy?"

Harry looked at his daughter. "You know that your mother calls Pansy and Tracey and Daphne and Luna her 'swives'. Some cultures have allowed men to have more than one wife, and call them sister-wives, and your mother invented a similar word. I think a 'mummy' is a grown-up woman who looks after you. I don't know what to call the new girls. I know they are not your sisters, and I don't think they can be your mummies. I don't know if there is a word. I guess we will have to invent one. Can you help me do that?"

Marigold scrunched up her face, thinking hard. "I don't know of a word like that, Daddy. I am confused."

Harry kissed her forehead, hugged her, and said very wearily, "So am I, Punkin. So am I."

After his daughter skipped off to play, Harry got in touch with Pansy. He told her she was right and that someone was spreading rumours just as she suspected would happen. They discussed the matter and some optional approaches. Pansy said that she would get their investigators on the trail of whoever was spreading the rumours. Harry made some suggestions on some possible tactics, and a plan was hatched.

As Harry went to his bedroom that night, he found Ginny's green slip lying in the hall near the door to the room. This was their private signal that she was expecting him, and wanted him to be prepared to satisfy her needs. He found her sitting fully dressed in the room. He had expected her to be in the bed, draped or undraped as struck her fancy.

At his puzzled expression, Ginny stood, and said "Harry, I want you to undress me the same way Hermione's mother and father told us about those years ago."

Later, as they were trying to catch their breath, Ginny looked at Harry and said "My love, I need to talk to you about our living arrangements."

Harry asked "In what way, my beloved?"

Ginny said "Your new wives. They are still little girls. I have enough to do riding herd on our four. Gwenog has hinted that it is getting time for me to retire from quidditch if I'm going to be mummy all the time. Harry, I love quidditch and I don't want to quit. I can't look after ours and the new girls, and still play in the big leagues. I don't even know what to call them, when I have a daughter older than one of my new swives."

"Harry, I told you that I can be selfish. Mum spoiled me when _I_ was a little girl, and I want more of your time and attention. I was brought up expecting a family to be _one_ mummy and _one_ daddy, and a whole mess of kids."

"Harry, I know that there are laws which are unfair to everyone but the pure-bloods, and these need to be changed. I know you can't fight the bad laws unless you are the Head of a Great House or two, so you have to go along with some of the laws. It just seems to me that you find it awfully easy to go along with the laws that make it so you can have things and more wives, but want to change the ones that discriminate against your friends. I know that's unfair of me. I know it's part of who you are, this 'saving-people' thing, and that's why you felt you had to marry the girls, but it's too much.

"Harry, I think you're spreading yourself too thin. I knew I was going to have to share you, but this is getting ridiculous. And I don't know how to bring up little girls to be your wives! How can I cuddle a little girl when I am getting jealous about what she will be in fifteen years? Harry, I am confused, I'm tired, I'm lonely for you. I hope I just showed you how much I want to spend time with _you_, and you alone."

"Remember my mum telling you to love all your wives equally. I don't want 'equally'. I want you for myself. When I fell in love with you, years ago, that's what I wanted, and I still do (at least some of the time). I know it's not fair to you; that law isn't fair to you. And it's not fair to me! I knew I would have to share, but not how much."

"Pansy has her work running your spy agency, Luna has her job with the ICW, Daphne has her modelling career, and Tracey has her store. I know you only see Daph and Trace every now and again. My mum could help out, she loves her grandchildren, but it's unfair to have her look after all of them."

Harry said "Can we talk to some of our friends and see how they handle it? I know some families have nannies look after the children, particularly if both parents are busy with other things or careers. I don't know how I feel having a stranger look after our kids."

Ginny exclaimed "But Harry, the hardest part is that they are not all '_our kids_'! The three new ones, they're not my kids, and they are certainly not your kids. They are your wives! Harry, I don't love them yet, I am sure I will, but right now they are still strangers to me. It's just very weird."

"Now, my dearest husband, I'm tired of yelling at you. Just hold me, and we'll talk more in the morning."

At the summer sitting of the Wizengamot, there were several items on the agenda. First was a list of proposed changes to certain old laws to bring them more up to date.

The Minister of Magic rose to speak to the issues. He stated that it was found that some of the older statues of the Wizengamot had been unfair to many in the magical community, and that he and his staff recommended changes to these laws to remedy the matters. He asked the undersecretary of legal research, Madame Hermione Weasley, to speak to the specifics."

Hermione rose and addressed the Wizarding legislature. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Wizengamot, we wish to address several statutes which provide legal protection and benefits to some of our society, but not to all in a fair and equitable manner. There are several statutes which provide legal recourse for damages, but only when the damaged party is a pure-blood wizard. These statutes do not provide the same protections to a pure-blood witch, nor to those of other heritage. We propose to alter the wording of these statutes to make the protections applicable to all persons of magical ability."

An older wizard rose and cried out "This is just what I would expect from a mudblood! The ministry should not have been permitted to hire someone like you."

The entire chamber gasped at this outburst. The chairman rapped his gavel. "Madame Weasley, do you have any response to the member?"

"Yes, your honour, I most certainly do. The member has just impugned my honour as an officer of the ministry and of this chamber. I hold the Order of Merlin first class, granted by the ministry for actions in battle during the last war with the self-styled Lord Voldemort." Hermione was delighted to see the member cringe at the name. "He has insulted my name, my family, my parents, and this chamber by his remarks. I challenge him to a duel!"

The member in question shook his head in disgust. "You have no right to challenge me. I am Marcus Foofaller, a pure-blood wizard and Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Foofaller. You are a muggleborn member of a third rate house, and that only by marriage."

Harry watched as a number of members of the Wizengamot nodded their heads in agreement with this sentiment. He looked over to Pansy, sitting in the seat reserved for the representative of the House of Black. She looked up towards the visitors' gallery where several of their investigative staff were taking careful note of those who had nodded, looked back at Harry and smiled.

A hush fell on the crowd as the short bespectacled wizard rose from his seat. Harry spoke out. "If you are Marcus Foofaller, then I also challenge you to a duel, for crimes committed against me over the course of my lifetime." He produced a long scroll of parchment. "Specifically, I find that the records show that every time there was an action which attacked my credibility, including a charge brought before the Ministry court for underage use of magic for defending myself against an attack by dementors under corrupt ministry control, one Marcus Foofaller was the one who demanded a vote to have the charges brought to a full court inquisition. According to records provided by Gringott's Bank, this action, and several others of similar character, coincided exactly with payments from the House of Malfoy (under the control of the convicted Death Eater Lucius Malfoy), to the personal vault of one Marcus Foofaller, and at the same time similar payments were made from the Malfoy vaults to the personal vault of the former Minster of Magic, Cornelius Fudge." Turning to the chairman of the Wizengamot, Harry said "Your honour, I wish to introduce these documents of this member's malfeances to the attention of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Sir, you have committed crimes against me, you have insulted an officer of this chamber and of the Ministry, and also insulted the entire Order of Merlin, within which also I hold the Order, First Class."

Foofaller sneered. "What can a muggle-raised orphan know of the old rights and privileges? He had been trying to overturn the rights of the high-borns his entire life."

Harry spoke loudly and clearly, in a quiet voice that threatened as much as it informed. "The old rights and privileges, such as the right to murder full-blood wizards and witches, to torture people of both high and low birth, magical and non-magical. To cause terror, to corrupt. All under the leadership of your Lord Voldemort. These are your ancient rights?"

"And what about this latest example of your rights and privileges. Last winter, a bomb was placed in the locker room of the Chudley Cannon quidditch team. This bomb killed three players and emasculated a pure-blood wizard. The documents, just introduced into evidence, show a large payment from one Marcus Foofaller into the vaults of one Michael Groffle, who was recently convicted and executed for the crime. The records also show that Mr Groffle received packages from a potions factory owned by Lord Foofaller, packages which contained explosive materials, and which were sent to Mr Groffle without the charging of any moneys. Lord Foofaller, why did you provide the funding and the materials for murder and grievous injury of a pure-blood?"

"You know, it is amazing what the Department of Magical Law Enforcement officers can find once the high officers of the Ministry do not order them _not_ to find anything." A number of faces blanched as they realized that the skeletons were about to emerge from their closets, and they were going to be held to account.

Harry continued, "My Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot, you are aware that the punishment for conspiracy to commit a crime are the same as those for doing the deed. These documents confirm that Lord Foofaller did conspire to murder three pure-blood wizards, and grievously injure another."

Foofaller was heard to mutter "Damn team was playing badly, and losing me money."

Harry spoke up again. "The pure-blood wizard your minions emasculated was my brother-in-law. For this crime, I again challenge you to a duel!"

Foofaller cried "I'm not going to duel with a puffed-up pedophile!"

Harry smiled with a cold hateful grin. "My Lords and Ladies. You have heard the member refuse lawful duels three times. As to his last charges against me, my marriage contracts are on file with the ministry of law enforcement, with directions to keep me under surveillance at my own cost, to confirm the falsehood of these claims. It had been proven by investigation by the DMLE's officers that the rumours have been started by this member and other pure-blood folk who are not fond of me, and are being spread to children in the area where I live."

"As a member of the Wizengamot, and the Head of the Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter and of Black, I call for the conviction of the member under the old laws. He wants to hold to the old rights and privileges. So be it. Let an old law be enforced! Statute 127, passed in this chamber in November of 1232, states clearly that any pure-blood wizard who refuses a lawful challenge of an officer of the Wizengamot or the Head of an Ancient and Noble House, shall lose their magic. Their house shall be stricken from the role of Ancient and Noble Houses, as the head of the house is no longer of the magical folk. In your own hearing, this man has refused a lawful duel three times. I demand his conviction. I further demand the conviction of this person for the murder of three pureblood persons, and the emasculation of a pure-blood wizard."

The room gasped as the implications of this charge became obvious to them, as Lord Foofaller would not only lose his magic and his house, but he and all his offspring were to be executed.

"My Lords and Ladies, in the spirit of the changes in the laws for which this session was called, I ask that the provisions of the law stripping the fallen house of all its assets be waived, in part; however, I propose that nine-tenths of the assets be seized and the funds given as restitution to all those who have been hurt by this man's actions. Lord Foofaller's wife and children have not been found guilty of any actions of their husband father (at least as yet), and so should not be punished for his misdeeds. The other tenth part of his assets should go to his family, should the investigations find that they are innocent of complicity in these misdeeds. However, I do ask that the children be put under surveillance for a period of no less than twenty years, or until it is clearly shown that they are not following in the path of their unlamented father. If the family was complicit, then the entire estate should be seized as required by the law, and the guilty parties executed in accordance with the law!"

"I call for the vote on these convictions!"

Lord Foofaller fell to his knees screaming as his magical core evaporated. Aurors carried the hulk of a man out of the chamber.

Harry spoke again. "My Lords and Ladies! For my whole life, I have been attacked and abused by those holding to the creed that pure-blood allows them to commit any crime with impunity. They hold that unfair laws, which favour them and their privileges, are the natural order of things. These laws have been full of bigotry and malice to those not of pure-blood. I have followed these laws as well as I could, even though they are causing pain to the ones I love or have sworn to protect. No more!"

"I hate to tell you... No! That is not true! I will not lie to this body, the way so many members of this body have lied to me, and about me, for most of my life! Honestly, I am ecstatic to tell you that these practices end, now! Call it a coup d'etat, call it a revolution, I really don't give a rat's ass what you call it. This bullshit stops. Now!"

"Those who are supporting and promoting these unfair laws are now spreading lies and harassing my children and my wives – this I will not tolerate. I declare before you today that this will stop! Either by my voice, my vote in this chamber, or if necessary, by my wand. Be ye warned."

"Either this chamber is a place of the rule of law, or it is not. The laws need to be adjusted to reflect the honour of all members of our magical folk. They need to be adjusted to protect the innocent, and those who are not blessed with our powers."

"If this chamber is only a place where unfair privilege is protected at the expense and detriment of those not of high birth or the correct gender, then it is only a place worthy of contempt. I inherited my place in this chamber only because my parents and my godfather were murdered, in my presence, by the self-styled Lord Voldemort and his bigotted pure-blood followers. There are many who did not fully commit to following the so-called Dark Lord, through self-interest or cowardice, I don't care which, but were in full sympathy with his program of domination. The former Minister of Magic, Fudge, was one such. The convicted torturer of children, Delores Umbridge, was another. There are others. This will end, now!"

"As I fought and killed Lord Voldemort, so I declare war on those who are hiding in the shadows but are still following his lead. As I have spent my life doing so far, I will do what I must to see that this does not continue. You have heard the only warning I will give. You have heard my voice. From now on, it will be my vote, here, or my wand elsewhere!"

Harry sat down. At first there was complete silence. Several of the members who had agreed with Lord Foofaller's statements tried to quietly leave the room, but a number were intercepted by Aurors at the exits, who read from lengthy parchments to the ashen faced wizards and witches, who were then escorted out. The rest of the room broke into applause.

That evening at the Manor, a toast was raised to Harry. Harry sadly asked "Do you think that will be enough to finally get them to leave me alone?"

He looked around the room at his extensive family. He was in a house he liked, surrounded by the people he loved. He smiled widely and said "Well, maybe not quite alone. I'm home, in the best sense of the word. I'm HOME!"


End file.
